


Logic;Gate

by CzarBetchimov



Category: Steins;Gate
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-07-14 12:39:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 169,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CzarBetchimov/pseuds/CzarBetchimov
Summary: January 2012; [-0.146923] - The struggles of a world with time machines don't exist, but the ongoing development of the revolutionary artificial intelligence 'Amadeus' remains in play, bringing together two eccentric computer nerds and their creations through the inexorable power of attractor fields. This is the story of Hiyajo Maho and Okabe Rintarou, somewhere on a distant Ωmega worldline...





	1. 0001

**Author's Note:**

> Hey readers, C. Betchimov here. I've come to realize that fan-fiction with Maho as a central character is few and far between here on Ao3, and pretty much doesn't exist anywhere on FF.net. In hand with this, is a shipment of her and Okabe, which was gratuitously teased throughout Zero, though denied (apparently) by word of god. Obviously this denial means nothing to an alt-shipper maniac like me, and is the exact reason I've written this story, setting it into an alternate timeline. That said, you should know right away that this story doesn't involve time travel or time machines, whatsoever. The essential events and mechanics of Steins;Gate and Zero (and the events that define certain personality traits) do not take place in this story, which probably sets this apart from what you are probably used to reading. Kurisu doesn't travel to Japan in 2010 and henceforth isn't murdered, and as a result, her time travel thesis is never realized. What DOES take place, however, is the further development of the artificial intelligence project 'Amadeus' that is centric to Zero, and involves both Hiyajo Maho and Makise Kurisu and their fields of research. This story is set two years later than the original Steins;Gate, on a negative-value Ωmega world line, and though the future is uncertain and unknown, the power of attractor fields have still destined mister Rintarou and misses Hiyajo to meet.
> 
> Prepare yourselves, because the worlds of two eclectic computer nerds are about to collide. Have fun!
> 
> (Oh, and with all this copyright mayhem going on, all computery and brand-name trademarks mentioned within belong to their respective owners. Yay technology!)

**Wednesday, January 4th, 2012; UDX Center, Akihabara, Tokyo; 12:27p.m. [ -0.146923 ]**

Sitting in the front row of a low-lit auditorium, among a crowd of computer scientists and professionals of numerous fields of technological research, twenty-year-old Okabe Rintarou remained silent. Distractedly listening to an overwhelming cloud of whispers and low discussion around himself, his heel tapped on the floor with anticipation-fueled regularity.

_Amadeus... The ultimate in adaptive artificial intelligence programming. Learns and remembers. Has feelings and emotions... Just like a human._

Eyes lowering to the pamphlet in his lap, his fingers wavered between turning the center page of the booklet in his hands.

_Ever since its unveiling a year ago, there's been countless articles and posts about the project. Praising and panning alike. Revolutionary, or repulsive, depending on your views of emulating human life... Copying an image of their memory into electronic data. Manufacturing a sentient being in our own image... Playing god in a sense._

Folding the pamphlet shut, a breath wandered from his nose, cautiously drawing in the varying odors of the room's other occupants.

_It would seem there are plenty that are disturbed by such an idea. Religious members call it a slanderous defiance of god's power to create life. Medical perspectives are mixed, with some praising the potential for memory restoration, and others rejecting the memory-to-data conversion, regardless of its published success. And yet..._

Head turning, and peeking over his shoulder, every seat in the rows behind were visibly occupied.

_A full crowd awaits another public showing... And professor Izaki was thoughtful enough to send me along._

Hands drawing together on his lap, leg still fidgeting, his eyes slowly shut.

_Last time they demonstrated the programming with an exact copy of the assisting interpreter. Not a copy, but a sampling of her memory, rather. Perhaps she made for an interesting character to portray the project publicly, so they chose her. Like Hatsune Miku, but... Far more advanced than Vocaloid could ever wish to be._

Eyes lifting from a rise of applause in all directions, his vision discovered the approach of two individuals of varying heights, revealed to be the head of the project, and...

_Yep. That's her again._

His attention remained on the short-statured young woman beside the much taller blonde-haired professor, smiling and exuding confidence in their tandem stride to the podium on the stage.

_True to description... She looks to be barely five feet!_

Handing over a laptop to the taller professor, a mane of dark hair half as long as her entire body shifted, and Okabe's head leaned forward, scrutinizing the woman's curious state of mismatched dress as a realm of silence deadened the room.

_I wonder... Is she going to be portrayed by Amadeus again?_

Watching as the taller professor quietly cleared his throat, and then tapped on the microphone, a low echo of feedback wandered across the still air.

"Greetings everyone, and thank you for attending our seminar today. I am Alexis Leskinen, head professor of the Brain Science Institute of Viktor Chondria University."

Blinking at first from the thickly accented English spoken, the young woman's head rose, and she quickly began speaking in native Japanese, only a few words behind the professor's speech.

"I am Hiyajo Maho, his language interpreter and assistant."

Waiting patiently for another round of applause from the introduction, both researchers seemed to gather their thoughts into line, eyes wandering across their audience.

"The topic of today's session, is the continued progress of the Artificial Intelligence Revolution that we previously demonstrated last year. Since that point in time, we have maintained steady development of the system's interactive awareness, and have reached key points of progress in its functionality and capabilities of learning, information retention, and internal data organization."

Listening to the fluent translation by the young woman in front of the podium, breath was held and released several times, listening to the flow of audio information.

"...With recent memory samples collected from our own Miss Hiyajo, as well as an additional tester from the university's brain science program, differences in the program's personality are comprehensive and quite apparent, much like their respective donors they are sourced from. In effect, they are just as different of a virtual being, as they are between any one of you, and myself."

An expected murmur of whispers spread among the seats, and Okabe's fingers intersected, watching as Maho looked over her shoulder to Alexis, waiting as he began typing onto the laptop.

_Flash memory, retrieved from the temporal lobe. That was explained in the video from the seminar last time. Memories are created by patterns of synapses between neurons. Electrical signals sent back and forth. Just like a computer, hence how they are able to..._

"To best portray the results of our recent work, I believe it is time we introduce our AI in its current, up-to-date form."

All eyes drew to a series of initialization checks projected onto the massive screen, and after a series of 'OK' and '100%' values were listed, the screen faded dark, only to be illuminated by a pair of lines scorching across the screen, illuminating a well-recognized, stylized logo displaying AMADEUS.

Gripping his hands tighter, Okabe stared at the screen as it faded to black again.

_This looks like a movie, but -_

Blinking as a soft echo of a startup tone emitted from the speakers, an enormous, animated avatar of a completely different young woman appeared across the center of the screen, with flowing red hair, confident violet eyes, and a passively content expression. Looking left and right, evaluating the situation, her arm propped on her shoulder, visibly donned in a laboratory coat, and her eyebrow quirked, mouth curling into a smile from the now-stunned audience.

"Quite the group today."

Peeking upwards towards the screen, Maho's chin rose with an expression of amusement from the English statement.

"We're at the seminar in Akihabara."

Smiling from the apparently familiar voice of Maho over the speakers, the whir of a small motor brought Okabe's attention to a slowly rotating webcam on a pedestal in the center, mirroring the turning of the avatar's head on the screen.

"Oh, Hiyajo-san is present? Are you hiding somewhere?"

"I'm right beside you, actually."

Stepping over and peeking into view of the webcam, the red-haired woman on screen tilted her head with a giggle of amusement.

"Is the professor there too?"

Turning the camera with a twist of her fingers, the avatar then waved her hand to Alexis, humming with mirth as he waved in return.

"Now, Amadeus, could you be so kind to introduce yourself to our guests?"

"Oh? Of course."

Facing the audience again, shoulders straightening, the avatar then gave a friendly nod.

"My name is Makise Kurisu. I operate through Amadeus' framework utilizing a memory data set retrieved on... Tuesday, December thirteenth of the year twenty-eleven, completed at four-seventeen p.m. and thirty-six seconds."

Blinking from the instant switch to Japanese, and then the oddly specific date and time, Okabe sat forward in his seat, joining many others in a similar motion of increased interest.

"Can you tell them about yourself, Kurisu?"

"Which one?"

"Whichever you prefer."

Watching as the red-haired avatar touched her hand to her chin, she peeked back towards the audience beyond, eyes visibly alternating between choices of subject matter.

"I'm certain the real me is infinitely more interesting, however... My virtual form is easier to describe in quantitative terms. Any details you wish to know in particular?"

Seeing a member of the audience stand to his feet, the camera moved and focused, mirrored by the avatar's on-screen lean of her head.

"Amadeus, considering you are supposedly an extracted copy of human memory... Surely the amount of stored data that results is massive in size."

"That's correct."

"...Then how large are you?"

Brow furrowing from the question, the virtual young woman crossed her arms.

"That's not a very polite question to ask a lady."

A low rise of laughter washed across the previously-silent chamber, and she then smiled shortly afterward.

"...Just kidding. My current file size post-update is four-point-eight-nine terabytes, and I am the twelfth iteration of my file set."

"You've had your memory collected twelve times?"

"That's correct."

"Is it painful to have your mind copied?"

"Not as painful as having your original ideas copied."

Sitting back in his seat again from the ensuing laughter, Okabe's skin tingled as a variety of voices among the audience began asking questions, and every single one was responded to with unfettered ease.

_Accuracy of a computer... And the personality of a human. A machine using a person's memory as operational parameters._

Listening to the reverberations of an eerily real, pleasant voice across the auditorium, he focused on Makise's animated mouth, precisely matching the words exiting the speakers in the front of the room.

_Fascinating. This level of programming is astounding. Even if it were somehow scripted... No. None of this is. It can't be. Not with the unique responses. She's utilizing a constantly changing algorithm, providing output responses actively derived from stored memory, and transformed into discernible audio and video. Communicating actively. Responding... Almost instantly._

Looking over his shoulder again from ongoing questions, his head slowly shook in wonderment.

_This is damn impressive. It seems Amadeus has gained more acceptance this time around too. I should ask her a question as well. Just to experience this madness for myself._

Racking his mind for a suitable prompt, Okabe studied the shifting of Makise's virtual crimson hair, and her subtle movements and changes in expression.

_She seems very much self aware. I wonder... How wide is her range of emotions? She's done so many little mannerisms... Impeccable characterization of a real person. Does she think of herself as one?_

Heart racing, Okabe then stood to his feet, mouth drawing open as the avatar's eyes drifted across the audience with visible amusement.

 _Alright._ "Amadeus... Uh, miss Makise."

Large purple eyes flitted over from his newly offered voice, and an odd sense of insignificance permeated his insides, as he found himself gazing up at a being much larger than himself, focused directly on him.

"Yes?"

"Do you... Envy the bodily freedom that your real self has?"

Head tilting with curiosity, Makise hesitated.

"What would I need to be envious of?"

"Freedom of movement. Free will, perhaps."

"It is a fact of my own existence that I am comprised entirely of data."

"So you are cognizant that you exist on a hard drive."

"I am."

_Interesting. There's no questioning her self-awareness now._

"Do you find yourself wishing you had a body of your own?"

"It is true that I enjoy seeing the real world environment, but that requires spatial movement of the video interface I see out of. I cannot do anything about that by myself. Also, to answer you further, I already have the capability of free will, and I understand my purpose as a prototype of memory preservation... So, no, there is no need to be envious of my real self. She is just like me, and I am just like her."

Watching the confident rise of her chin following her speech, his lips pressed firmly together.

_I see. She knows she's a copy, split from her real self, and yet she also considers herself one in the same. This is where AI in movies start saying they could just replace their human masters._

"...And besides, I do have stored visual records of the life my real self has lived until my point of creation. I can see a multitude of journeys and events of significance, so its not as if I have an empty existence."

"You can review your own past at will?"

"I can. That is a significant element of my function. My memory in virtual form doesn't suffer from the compressional decay that memory within a human brain does. Call it a retention of clarity if you will... The preservation of information also allows me the ability to compare prior experiences to new ones, therefore emulating the ability of decisive interpretation and judgement. Just like you."

Exhaling from the matter-of-fact conclusion, Okabe's mouth remained open as further whispers arose in a cloud behind.

"So seeing memories of your human past... Having a visible past... Is that satisfactory enough to be content as a virtual being?"

"Yes. I know my purpose, and I know that I exist only in this virtual form. I may have autonomy, free will, rather, but I am still a duplication of my real self... Aside from one of us being a flesh and blood being, and the other made of electrons. Putting obvious existential differences aside, whether real, or virtual, I exist at Viktor Chondria University to aid in the pursuit of knowledge and scientific progress. My behavioral patterns are the exact same, therefore my manner of operation parallels how my real self would operate."

Left momentarily speechless, Okabe's vision wandered over towards Maho, and then professor Leskinen, realizing both of them were individually focused on him.

"Mister, with the red sweater."

Blinking from the direct addressing, Okabe's attention returned to Makise's on-screen portrait.

"...May I ask what your name is?"

"O-Okabe. Rintarou Okabe."

"I see. Mister Rintarou, you seem to be a man of many questions. May I ask you one?"

Eyes flying open, his hands hesitantly slid into his pockets.

 _What..._ "Uh, sure."

A content expression reappeared on the virtual woman's face, gripping the audience in a silent moment of anticipation.

"Now that it has been established that I lack a corporeal form outside of a hard drive... Do you believe that I am real?"

"Ah, well, considering you were created from the memories of a living human being, and you clearly have a personality... I imagine that makes you real, in a sense."

A much louder commotion began behind him, and his heart began pounding, feeling the presence of dozens of eyes on his backside.

"So if I were to have a body of my own, with my data set inserted as a virtual reproduction of mind and soul... Would that make me a person, just like you?"

Exhaling, a cold wave of uncertainty ran up and down his spine as a controversial answer formed in his throat.

"I... I don't see why not."

* * *

**UDX Center, Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:13p.m.**

Gazing out of the window of an upper-story room, with a gathering of the seminar's prior guests and tables laden with food and drink behind, Okabe's eyes passively wandered among the countless lights of the Tokyo skyline, near and far.

_Amadeus. Makise. AI with a heart and mind... Copied from a human with a heart and mind._

Watching a set of red lights slowly strobe, marking the height of one particular building for wayward aircraft, an exhale wandered from his nose.

_The only parts missing are a soul, and a body. Otherwise..._

"Ohh, mister Lintahlo, right?"

Blinking from the English mispronunciation of his name, Okabe's vision focused on the reflection of the glass, realizing the blonde-haired professor from earlier stood just beside him, prompting him to turn and face the tall foreigner - Only for his mouth to open from the friendly grin on the man's face.

"Ah, yes... _Rintarou_... Okabe."

"My apologies."

Exhaling from the Japanese that was spoken instead, Okabe watched as the man's arm extended, offering a large hand in a friendly greeting.

"Leskinen. _Alexis_. Nice to meet you."

Shaking hands, and then lowering his head in a momentary bow, he blinked as his smartphone briefly vibrated in his pocket.

_Not now. This is the lead developer of the AI itself...!_

"Your seminar was incredible. I only saw video footage of the one last year, but... Seeing your AI in person doesn't even begin to compare."

"Thank you. We've come a long ways since our last outing, but the project is still far from our end goals. Frankly I'm not certain when it will see completion, even with our current technology."

_...Really?_

"Well, complete or not, its rather impressive. Honestly."

"The program, or the young lady within?"

Blinking, Okabe's cheeks reddened.

"Oh, well, both. I suppose."

Exhaling as Alexis' large hand patted heavily onto his shoulder, a hearty laugh left his mouth as well.

"Miss Makise is quite the gem, but the real one is doubly so."

"Oh?"

"Her genius is much of the reason why Amadeus exists at all. Brain mapping and neuroscience are her specialty. Her research is the pioneering basis that the entire system was designed to operate upon."

"I see. Her virtual self seems very wise, and yet acts humble about the circumstances of her existence."

"Its just the same in real life too... Perhaps not as humble, however. That one can be quite the character."

Picturing the avatar's mischievous statements in the auditorium earlier, Okabe smiled with amusement.

"I can only imagine."

Looking aside for a moment, Leskinen then eyed Okabe with a quirked brow.

"Your questions for our Amadeus earlier were of great interest, mister Lin-taro."

"T-They were? Honestly I wanted to see what range of emotions it... She has."

"Mmm. Amadeus is just as complex and emotional as you and me."

"I realized that with her variety of responses and the level of articulation. My stress test backfired as soon as she asked me a hypothetical question in return."

Another laugh erupted from the professor, and Okabe's hands drew behind his back as nearby eyes wandered towards them.

"Stress test, you say?"

"Yes sir. I imagine your AI has known internal limits... With the amount of coding involved in system functions, and the constant demand of resources from its host equipment... N-Not that it showed any visible faults earlier."

Eyebrow perking with interest, Leskinen touched his hand to his chin.

"You sound fairly versed in programming, Rin-taro."

Resisting the impulse to scratch his hair, Okabe's head bashfully tilted aside instead.

"I... Well, I have been working on a computer project of my own. Not an AI, and nothing near your caliber with Amadeus, but I try to find ways to push it to its limits. Within reason, of course."

"Do you attend schooling for your project?"

"I do. System design and technology. At Tokyo Denki University."

"Ahh... You wouldn't happen to know of a mister Izaki, would you?"

Body tingling, Okabe's face cracked into a smile.

"He's my professor."

"Hahaha! Truly a small world, Rin-taro. I've been in contact with that man for several years now. I ought to see him now that we're here in Japan already."

"I'm sure he would appreciate it."

"Hmm, did mister Izaki send you along to our seminar? You were in the front row, after all. Not just anyone gets seats up close to the action like that."

Nodding in confirmation, Okabe watched Alexis' smile increase.

"I see. You must be his star pupil. It is an honor to meet up-and-coming students, you know! Men and women like you have the bright minds that will lead us into the future and beyond."

"I... Thank you."

"Speaking of bright minds, have you met misses Hiyajo?"

"I have not."

"In that case..."

Turning around, a brief search for the short young woman began, with Alexis mumbling and Okabe peeking around him with curiosity, towards the movement of the room's other occupants.

"...Aha, there she is!"

Raising the length of his arm into the air, Leskinen then began waving.

"Maho! Come on over here!"

"Just a _moment!_ "

Turning back to Okabe with a chuckle, he then offered a wink.

"You mentioned stress testing, and it reminded me. Maho has done plenty of that with Amadeus. She's the lead programmer, you know."

Attention perking, Okabe's chin rose slightly.

"Really?"

"She's done a majority of the internal coding. Most of it, actually. She's obsessively thorough with her work."

"Miss Hiyajo was the model for your project last year, wasn't she?"

"Ah yes, of course. Her data set is the first we gathered for the launching of the prototype. We needed a visual resemblance of the personality, so we contacted our friends in silicone valley. I'm sure you've heard of Dreamworks."

"The movie company?"

"They're the ones that created the animation you've seen. Truly impressive work."

"I agree."

Watching with a slight rise of heartbeat as a mane of long dark hair appeared beside the professor, she then turned bodily, revealing a short-statured, oddly dressed young woman, punctuated by a mismatched pair of shoes.

_Hoodie, a robe... Is that one slipper? What on earth..._

Crossing her arms, her eyes narrowed as she looked up to the professor with mild impatience.

"I was about to start eating, you know."

"You'll have plenty of time for that soon. This is mister Rin-taro. I'm sure you'll recognize him from earlier."

Turning aside, eyes rising along the profile of Okabe, their eyes met with uncertainty, brows lifting and lowering in sequence.

_Mister red sweater, huh?_

Caught off guard by the intensely green eyes beneath her dark bangs, Okabe sank into an automatic bow, tearing his vision away from the sight.

"...Rintarou Okabe. A pleasure to meet you."

Rising upright after hearing a single grunt of interest, his mouth opened, only to settle into half of an awkward smile from the resumption of her piercing gaze.

_My god her eyes are brilliant, uh..._

"Hiyajo, Maho."

"Your professor told me you're the lead programmer of Amadeus."

"I am."

"I do lot of programming myself, but... Your work is astounding. I can only imagine the complexity involved."

"Complexity hardly begins to describe it."

"You must have a dozen or more separate systems working in unison to run something like that."

"Not quite a dozen, but... At least eight. _Wait_ , nine including... Yeah. Nine."

"Do tell... _Oh_ , I mean, only if you want to."

Eyes rising into her bangs, a breath left her small nose.

"Well, jeez, uh... The heuristic algorithm database is rather extensive, and that's just for general operation. There's language processing and a database for that, visual and audio perception... Storage allocation and organization of static and learned system information, differentiation of information types... Pretty much everything that comprises the processing functions of the human mind, we've replicated with an artificial neural network."

"You did all of this on your own?"

"No. _Well_... Approximately eight-five percent."

"That's still a large amount. I'm sure every bit of effort was worthwhile."

"Yeah. Thankfully it paid off once we successfully loaded the first copy of human memory. It didn't even have the virtual avatar at first."

"Dreamworks modeled you, right?"

Mouth curling into a smile, Maho's arm propped onto her side.

"Sure did. I was the first guinea pig to have my brain scanned, so I got to be the first one with a characterization done."

Looking aside from Alexis' chuckle, both Maho and Okabe watched as he walked away, only for their eyes to meet again.

"I imagine meeting a self-coded clone of yourself was an unusual experience."

"A bit. Even before we started work on the program, I wondered what it would be like to interact with an exact copy of myself."

Leaning forward with interest, Okabe eyed her with amusement.

"...And? What's it like?"

"Well, you think its easy to get along with someone that has the exact same traits and personality as you... And then you quickly find out you have the same quirks and issues."

"You're your own worst critic."

"Literally. Seeing yourself from the outside makes you wonder how you put up with yourself from within."

"Does your memory copy in Amadeus offer self-analysis of you, as the human?"

"It does. But typically only when I ask it to."

"So it doesn't outwardly do so on its own?"

"It can, but with my data set, it behaves like I do."

"...Which means you're not the type to outwardly criticize people."

Offering a shrug, her eyes wandered for a moment.

"Not unless someone does it to me first."

"Does Amadeus share that sentiment?"

"I'm sure it does."

"What about the copy of miss Makise?"

Head turning, Maho's brow furrowed.

"What about her?"

"She seemed very personable during the seminar. Is she ever critical otherwise?"

"Mmm. It depends on if you know the real Kurisu personally or not."

"Obviously you do."

"Yeah."

"Her memory copy said she's just like her human self."

"She is."

Realizing Maho was distractedly peeking over her shoulder to the tables of food standing beyond, Okabe gestured towards the buffet nearby.

"...Go ahead."

"Huh?"

"You've been eying the food ever since the professor called you over."

"Sorry, I'm starving."

"Mind if I join you? I'd love to hear more about your work."

"I guess, just... Let me feed myself before we continue."

Nodding politely, Okabe watched as the short woman began into a hustle towards the buffet tables, keeping a short distance behind her quicker pace with a longer stride.

_Misses Hiyajo. The human embodiment of an enigma... I expect nothing less from someone capable of bringing something like Amadeus into functional existence._

* * *

Seated at a circular table, plates laden with half-consumed entrees of various nationalities, Okabe watched Maho's small hand manipulate a fork with interest, versus the chopsticks between his fingers.

"So you and the professor are from Viktor Chondria University."

Waiting as she swallowed a mouthful, she stuck her fork into another portion on her platter.

"We are. You?"

"Tokyo Denki."

"Are you studying artificial intelligence?"

"Oh, I'm certainly interested, but not actively taking a course for it."

"Computer science, then?"

"I'm working on my Bachelors for system design and technology."

Eyebrow rising, Maho's elbows settled onto the table, holding the utensil between both hands.

"Computationally inclined...?"

"Quite so."

A breath of amusement left her nose.

"Tell me more."

Eyes wandering bashfully, Okabe hesitated.

"Ah, well, its not like I'm assembling a quantum computer or anything..."

"We're not doing anything quantum-related either."

"Honestly, I've mostly been dabbling with a home-built mainframe outside of school."

"Yeah?"

"My friend and I have been testing and optimizing its capabilities for months on end now. We programmed our own operating system from scratch, purposefully to have a really high hardware ceiling, so we've been constantly reconfiguring the physical hardware to make use of it... And we still have yet to hit that ceiling with what's on the affordable part of the computer market. We'd probably go bankrupt before we get anything like the high-spec components for mega servers and supercomputers."

Fork lowering to her plate, Maho's mouth parted with sudden interest.

"You wrote your own operating system?"

"Had to. All of the mainstream ones are far too limiting. We've modified every open source program we could get our hands on, and even then there were still hard-coded barriers that are insurmountable. So we went our own route and compiled the code of everything we liked, and put it all together."

"The funny thing is... I've written my own operating system as well. Its what Amadeus runs on."

Eyes meeting, Okabe's posture straightened in attention.

"Really?"

"I designed it to handle a high frequency of tasks and requests, similar to that of the human brain. That's why it can run all nine of Amadeus' main functions in tandem."

A single chuckle left Okabe's throat. _Small world indeed._

"High overall performance is what we're shooting for, so we continuously re-tune ours to be able run a wide variety of software instances simultaneously. Anything to try and max out the resources without crashing outright."

"Huh. Can't say we've tried to crash Amadeus on purpose. Wouldn't be beneficial for our research in any way."

"Has it crashed on its own?"

"Oh yeah. Several times in development. Its got fail safes implemented now, though."

"Has it reached any sort of peak benchmark that you know of?"

"Of what in particular?"

"Anything. Processes, data throughput..."

"Its all logged somewhere. Don't remember any of the values off the top of my head."

"How high is the latency?"

A hint of teeth appeared among a little grin curling onto her cheek.

"High enough."

"Classified intel?"

"Personally classified. I'm sure you don't go around telling everyone about your mainframe either."

"True. Even though its not anywhere near the potential it could have... There's a fair amount of Yen sunk into it."

"I don't suppose you're using your university's budget for your experimentation, are you?"

Rolling his eyes, a hint of a cheeky smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe a little. But we buy and resell parts. Easy to do in a tech haven like Akiba."

"Mhmm."

_A market for parts, here?_

Vision lowering to her nearly-empty plate with a tingle of interest, Maho speared another cut of sauce-coated meat with her fork.

_Haven't wandered the street vendors at all. Maybe I haven't noticed._

"If I may ask... How powerful is the hosting hardware back at your university?"

Attention alighting to Okabe again, her arm remained flat on the table.

"The research database we use is massive, so storing Amadeus on it is no issue. The program itself, has stages of complexity that are determined by the specs of the machine accessing it."

"Oh, so it has a level-of-detail function?"

"In a way. Whenever we take Amadeus anywhere for demonstration, we're dependent on the machines of whoever happens to be hosting us, and their available internet connection."

"Sounds stifling."

"It is. Not everyone has powerful GPUs and stacks of RAM at their disposal, so I ended up programming it to automatically adjust itself."

Keeping another chuckle inside his throat, Okabe twisted his chopsticks into another serving.

_Hah, they don't, but we do. Continue._

"...The good thing, is that the host computers don't need to actually have the memory copy itself. Its impractical to transfer terabytes of data like that, and it is dangerous to put someone's entire life memory on an insecure network that we don't know much about."

"So you keep Amadeus at the university, and connect to it from afar."

"It just needs an access point to the server's data, and the peripheral software to translate it."

"And that software resides on an external hard drive, I assume?"

"Bingo."

"Is it limited by the operating system of your host?"

"Not at all. The executable program that runs it has several versions. Windows, Mac, Linux, Ubuntu, you name it, it'll run on it."

"I see."

Watching as Maho rose to her feet, Okabe reached for a glass of water as she lifted her plate from the table.

"Going to get more. I'll be back."

Watching her turn and wander back towards the buffet, he discreetly studied the undulations of her dark mane of hair drifting behind.

_This woman is an information powerhouse. I'd sure like to see what sort of coding comprises the operating system she designed. This might even be one of those cases of developmental coincidence... But I doubt anyone is privy to her work, as involved and controversial as it is. Hmmm..._

Nudging the bottom of his chin with this free hand, his brow furrowed in further thought, only to relax upon her return to the table. Allowing a moment as she sat and promptly shoveled another portion into her mouth, he waited patiently for her to swallow.

"Your professor, mister Leskinen... He said he isn't certain how near to completion your project is. Do you actually have set goals?"

"Sort of. One one hand, it is planned to have Amadeus be a source of preservable, replaceable memory backups... Virtual storage for medical patients with failing memory, basically. We're working on the concept, but its still a ways from coming to fruition. The actual reintegration of memory into someone's brain is doable, but unless the brain knows how to use that information... The whole procedure is pointless."

"Has that been attempted?"

Hesitating from his question, Maho leaned back against her chair.

"Well... So far its theorized to work. Making that happen is more of Makise's specialty."

"You're in the brain science institute as well, right?"

"I am, but my work is with the actual technical side of the project."

"Ah."

"So, other than the medical application, my focus is on improving the learning and communication aspects, and monitoring its self-evolution."

"Its certainly gotten far enough to hold its own with conversation."

"Truthfully, that's only because of the human memory's experiences being utilized. Without any data set loaded... It really doesn't do much of anything."

"Huh."

"Right now we're just getting everything ironed out functionally."

"Yeah? There weren't any glitches or errors that I saw."

"You typically won't see anything that resembles a glitch, unless the connection is interrupted or something. But if you opened the console, there definitely will be errors logged."

"Invalid references?"

"The system is undergoing constant interpretation of the loaded memory data. It doesn't forget things like we do, but with the nature of human memory, sometimes the answer just doesn't even exist."

"How does it react in that scenario?"

"It'll reroute to another suitable response, just like our own brain."

"I guess I meant, how does the character on-screen react when it finds a nonexistent value?"

"Oh... It'll sit there for a few seconds, and then produce the next answer."

"Awkward silence."

"That, and a couple of other weird actions too."

"Oh?"

"Even with its own capabilities, there's still inherent issues of compatibility. I'm almost entirely certain its because of the invisible divide between a living brain and body versus a digital computer."

"Referring to one's spirit, I assume?"

"That, and other intangibles. The human soul cannot be completely adapted in virtual form, unfortunately."

"So there's nothing like wishes and desires present?"

"They're definitely there in the memory, but they don't seem to be readable by the program."

_Properties that only exist within one's heart... Interesting._

"Earlier, in the seminar, I brought up the feeling of envy, and while Amadeus knows what it is, it seems it isn't capable of it, or doesn't care."

"Well... That's because I programmed it that way."

"Really?"

"It knows the definition, but it isn't referenced as an applicable behavior in its coding, whatsoever."

"So even if the emotion exists in the loaded memory, it isn't even read or utilized?"

"Imagine if the program somehow became jealous of its human donor. It could decide to be non-cooperative, and refuse to function. The last thing we need is for someone's memories to be kept hostage by the program that reads them."

"Oof."

"By removing such a possibility, it makes for a decidedly friendly AI that won't make decisions from strong negative emotions. Basically it doesn't even how to read them."

"And thereby ignores them... Quite the fail safe."

"A very necessary one, in my opinion."

Bringing another scoop of food to her mouth, Maho eyed the contents of her platter.

_Especially for the sake of my own reputation..._

"Averting a malevolent takeover of the university, are we?"

Laughing lightly with full cheeks, she swallowed.

"Mmf, its not GlaDOS, but, yes."

"Not as devious at least."

"If you're saying that in regards to Makise's memory, you don't know her well enough."

Eyebrow rising, the tips of Okabe's chopsticks lowered to his plate.

"Is that so?"

"Mmmhm."

"Well, regardless of whoever is loaded into it, it strikes me how well Amadeus was able to respond to every question asked by the audience."

"That, mister Rintarou, is the wonder of automated machine learning. All of those systems I mentioned earlier, add up into Amadeus being able to offer a definitive solution to almost any question it encounters."

"An output from the input."

"Ehh, not as strict as Boolean values."

"Then... Fuzzy logic, right?"

"You know of it?"

"A slight bit. Partial truth. Making decisions on ambiguous values."

"Yep. Also known as automated reasoning. With the human's memory and gained knowledge available in virtual space, the system can analyze previously solved and confirmed values to provide known answers. Or it can interpret a new solution to a previously unknown problem."

Sitting back in his chair, Okabe set down his chopsticks, and his hands came together on the surface of the table.

"Sounds like our own cognitive functionality."

"That's the point. Neurons in our human brains that are frequently used become established pathways and allow for high speed retrieval of information. With Amadeus, we've recreated that same environment in virtual form, and it functions in just the same manner."

Offered a single nod by the young woman, he exhaled.

"That's incredible. I can't even begin to imagine how much time has gone into this."

"Way too much... And it will only continue into the future."

"You've spent the most time with it as the lead developer... I'm sure you know all of its nuances."

"Oh yeah. Lots of trial and error."

"I know that feel."

"Despite appearances, Amadeus isn't perfect."

"Neither are we."

Humming in amusement, Maho's legs crossed beneath the table.

"Well I'm glad to hear you're not driven by an extraordinary ego, unlike some people."

Okabe's shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Ah, well, you know... There's nothing wrong with having pride in your own ability."

"Oh, I wasn't questioning that."

"You shouldn't need to. With everything you've just explained... You're very talented, you know."

Chin rising with confidence, Maho's eyes shut in visible knowing.

"I mean, assembling such a complex multi-faceted program from scratch, and programming it for the specific intent of experimental neurological research... That's truly amazing."

"Thank you."

"I'm still a student, and we've done a lot with complex systems, but, nothing near the level of work you've done. Your programming knowledge and ability is priceless... And magnificent."

Eyes flitting open, her cheeks grew warm from the wayward compliment.

"Oh... Its not that impressive, really."

"It is, for those of us that are computationally inclined."

Looking aside, only to cautiously peek at him, her vision scurried away again, and her face grew redder from the glimpse of his calm, admiring expression.

"Well I... Thank you for listening attentively."

"Is it a surprise that I did?"

"People usually get burned out by time I cover a quarter of what we just discussed."

"Hmm. Considering that everything you've described is real and functional work, that's a shame."

"Hence why I don't ordinarily go into such detail. I've learned not to waste my breath."

"Well neither your breath, nor my time were wasted. I'm quite glad, to be honest. I wasn't sure how long I would end up staying here after the seminar, but hearing the passion you have for your programming work in person, certainly made it worthwhile."

Head turning, a breath left her nose as their eyes met, and a quiet moment began, punctuated by the hint of a smile appearing on her lips.

"You know, I think you're the first person I've met today that's more impressed in my actual ability, than the AI they saw in the auditorium."

"That AI would be nothing without your abilities."

Eyelids lowering, her chin sank as well, hiding her brow beneath her bangs.

_Yeah... You could put it that way. I mean, I am the lead dev-_

"Maho! And Mister Rin-taro!"

Startled by the sudden approach of professor Leskinen, both of their attentions turned to the blonde man as he strolled up to the table, his large hands dropping onto the surface and rattling the fork on Maho's plate.

"...Yes?"

"Ah, hello."

"Mmm, found yourselves some food, did you? The Japanese sure know how to serve up nourishment for an event."

"We do like to entertain guests with our cooking around here."

"You know, I left you two alone earlier and it seems you've been having quite the conversation since then. Its been half an hour already."

"Oh, we were discussing her work in creating Amadeus, and the functionality of its inner components."

"Miss Hiyajo is the driving force behind Amadeus' technical development... As I'm sure you've found out by now."

"I have. She's certainly a talented programmer."

"Precisely why I brought her onto the project. Her prowess with the keyboard is truly remarkable."

"I can only imagine."

The professor then stood upright, checking his watch.

"Right then. Regrettably, my friend, we are soon to be on our way back to our hotel for the night."

Heart sinking, Okabe nodded.

"Well, I'll probably be heading out myself."

"Mmm, but perhaps you should keep in touch, mister Rin-taro. I'm sure you both have plenty more you can discuss beyond this evening."

Eyes meeting again, initially hesitant, both young adults traded a series of expressions, finally settling into a pair of shrugs.

"I guess... If you don't mind."

"I don't mind either."

Seeing a friendly smile rise across his face, a breath wandered from her nose, studying his gentle features.

_Especially considering you've taken the time to actually listen to my discourse..._

"Haha, then its settled! I'll leave you two to exchange your contact information. I'll be in the lobby, Maho."

"Alright, professor."

"Catch you later, Mister Rin-taro!"

Offering Okabe a wink from a distance as he walked away, Alexis disappeared into the hallway beyond, and Maho shook her head briefly.

"Sorry. He's a pretty weird guy sometimes."

"Its fine. I wish some of my professors were as lively as him."

"You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure."

Rolling her eyes, a smile remained as her hand disappeared beneath the table. Bringing her phone from the pocket of her hoodie, and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Okabe waited as her fingers tapped and swiped on the screen of the blue and white device several times.

"What's your email?"

"R-O, ninety-two, F-D-L, at gmail, dot com."

Heart beating as she actively typed the address into her phone, he began reaching for his own device residing in his pocket.

"Google, huh? I was half expecting your school's email client."

"Nonsense. Have to maintain secrecy somehow."

"Ah. For all that shady work with your home-built supercomputer, right?"

"Exactly."

Peeking at the red phone in his palm, blinking from a previously ignored text message from Daru, he cleared the reminder with a swipe of his thumb.

_Sorry Hashida. Been busy with things._

"What's your email?"

"Already sent something."

Feeling the resulting vibration in his palm, he opened the message, discovering a series of ones and zeros across the message body.

0110100001100101011011000110110001101111001011000010000001110100011010000110100101110011001000000110100101110011001000000110110101100001011010000110111100100001

_Binary code? Let's see... 'hiyajo54713R1 at VCU-dot-edu'._

"Got it."

Head rising as Maho stood from the table, gathering her plate and glass together, she walked away quietly, drawing his attention back to the sway of her hair as she wandered out of sight.

_...Right._

Saving the address to his contacts, Okabe then looked at the name printed in bold text, and with a few taps of his thumb, set the color of the contact to a shade of deep, emerald green.

_There. Just like your eyes._

Rising to his feet, and pushing in his chair, he waited patiently as she reappeared in a return heading back to the table, drawing to a halt just in front of him. The moment that followed, however, remained silent as her hands fidgeted, fingers intersecting together.

"I, uh..."

"It's been an honor, miss Hiyajo."

Looking up at the young man before herself, taller in stature and exuding an aura of calm and warmth, their eyes met once more, and she offered a nod.

"Please... Call me Maho."

"Alright. Call me Okabe."

"Its hard to find people who are truly interested in the internal workings of the project. Usually people just talk about the face they saw on the screen, and debate about the morality and whether its scripted or not. Really gets tiring, hearing the same old statements made."

"Then I'm glad our conversation was different."

"Me too. It was nice to speak to you... Okabe."

"Likewise, Maho."

Lips curling into a smile, her face reddened with unexpected mirth as her fingers met his, shaking his larger hand.

"...I'll be sure to keep in touch, but I promise not to be a bother."

"I doubt you will be. I'd like to see some of what you've been working on. Unless you're afraid of professional critique."

"Afraid? Hardly. I'll share my work if you'll talk about some of your own."

"Deal."

Separately exhaling as their hands drifted apart, slipping within the pockets of their individual coats, both young programmers waited hesitantly, but no further words presented themselves.

"...Until next time?"

"Yeah."

Revolving in a turn, her petite face hiding from sight among her dark hair, Okabe stood still, heart beating with mystery as Maho calmly walked into the distance, vanishing around a corner.

_There she goes. The lead programmer and genius of Amadeus... A human enigma. I wonder if we'll meet again?_

Bringing his phone into view, still displaying the characters of her name, a sigh left his lungs in a realization of the late hour.

_Even if we don't, at least now I can contact her. Professor Alexis too. I'll have to tell Izaki that I've personally met both of them now. He'll be beside himself._

Listening to his heartbeat within his chest, Okabe then turned to the plate and glass still sitting on the table.

_To think I was contemplating going home earlier, too. I would have missed out on an amazing interview. Would have liked to talk to the professor more, but..._

Picturing Maho's brilliant emerald-green eyes, decorated by unexpectedly long lashes and hiding teasingly among unkempt bangs, an exhale wandered from his lungs.

_...Speaking to her was certainly worthwhile._


	2. 0010

**Thursday, January 12th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 11:20p.m.**

Gazing at the soft glow of white text on a dark screen, reclining in a wheeled office chair in the dark realm of his apartment, Okabe's eyes absorbed a multitude of command lines copied in a vertical list, on a message in his email's inbox.

_Interesting. She sure enjoys pipelining to a remarkable level. Guess if it streamlines processes that normally are manually timed for sequential execution, then... Huh. Tucked those two strings at the end, and... Slash, done._

Rubbing his eyes, his vision regained focus on the notation at the end, smiling from an emoticon sticking its tongue out.

'Coded this with Python. /sarcasm. Should have guessed you've spent quality time with Ruby too. Its a lot more flexible, and forgiving. :P Really like that screenshot of the cursor's context menu. Neatly organized and useful stuff hidden in there. ~ Maho =^-_-^= '

_Like that feature, huh? You'd have a great time tinkering with this machine, miss Hiyajo. In fact... I didn't even get to ask last time but..._

Fingers descending to the backlit keyboard on his lap, his heart began to beat a little stronger as a slightly different response formed under the patter of his fingertips.

'Ruby is my go-to shell, but Daru uses different ones depending on his mood and patience level. Also, wanted to ask, how long are you intending on being here in Tokyo? Was wondering. - Okabe'

Hesitating before clicking the send button on the message window, he re-read both sentences of his reply.

_Innocuous. Good. Sent._

Drooping back against his chair, his eyes sank from the screen, down to the dark depths of the hardwood floor below.

_Maybe if she's not leaving right away, there's a chance th-_

Feeling his phone vibrate from an inbound message, his eyes rose back to the screen, seeing a new message listed in the inbox on the computer monitor.

_Hm? Replied already? Didn't even know you were awake..._

'I'll be here until the end of the month. Professor is meeting with several colleagues, hence why we've still been here since the tech seminar. Wondering about what? ~ Maho =^-_-^='

Exhaling from the development, his fingers churned into motion again.

'Wondering if you'd like to see and utilize our mainframe in person. Sharing screenshots is one thing, but actual testing and usage by a professional with your competence would be an honor.'

Hand touching his face, Okabe grimaced.

_God. If you were anyone else, that would be the lamest pickup line in the universe... But I'm eager to talk to you in person, since I have no idea if we will ever meet again, once you do finally leave Japan._

Peeking between his fingers, and clicking the send button, he exhaled. _Here goes nothing._

Listening to the second hand on a nearby wall clock tick for an uncounted period of time, the same message in the inbox illuminated again, drawing his mouse cursor to it.

'That so? I guess I do keep asking about it. You keep teasing me about what its actually made up of. Where do you live? I'll be free this afternoon, if you're not across the country or something.'

Brow rising, a chuckle left his insides.

'My apartment is right here in Akiba. Head down Chuo-dori until you reach Suehirocho Station, and take a left onto Kuramaebashi-dori. In the alley before the traffic light, look for the Ohiyama Building. We're up on the second floor. Also, I'll be in class until 4pm. I typically get back around 5:15. Any time after that is fine. Let me know if you do plan to visit. - Okabe'

***click***

_There. Choice is yours, now that... You already replied._

'Hmm. I could probably drop by, but, I haven't really been around Tokyo too much on my own. Nothing weird is going to happen, right?'

Brow quirking, his lips pressed together from the latter sentence.

_Guess there's reason to be cautious with people you don't know in a place you've never been..._

'Getting around the city is a bit easier when you've lived here for a few years. And absolutely nothing weird will happen, I assure you that. Our lab is a home away from home for my friends and comrades. A laid back hangout and creative sanctuary, if you will. As far as an itinerary, more than likely we'll all be busy with school work at first, and after that, whatever mayhem happens from browsing and gaming. Typically figure out dinner around 7.'

Eyes closing, the faint tick of the clock resumed from behind, only for his phone's vibration to reveal another timely response.

'Alright. I'll come by if you're there at least. Not sure how long I'll end up staying but... I'm sure you understand.'

'Understood entirely. Everyone has their own schedule anyway and comes and goes whenever. It will be the weekend though so everyone will probably be staying late. You're welcome to visit as long as you wish.'

'Alright. ^_^ Thank you. I'll keep that in mind.'

Smiling with elation, and then yawning with a stretch of his shoulders and arms, Okabe closed the email client, putting the computer into hibernation and watching a series of glowing lights shut off in sequence, followed by the silencing of several fans and a small pump hidden behind the monitors.

_Right then, great computer beast. Come the later hours of tomorrow, your destiny as an experimental showpiece truly begins._

Setting aside the keyboard from his lap and standing upright, his bare feet probed through the darkness of the apartment's floor space, in a heading towards one of two couches residing within.

_Misses Hiyajo of the Amadeus project may soon grace our domain with her presence... And I fully intend for her to bear witness to your ultimate power and form._

Flopping down onto the length of the couch, feet draped over one end, he found a position of comfort, letting an exhale drift from his lungs.

_Should probably tell Daru about what's going on... In due time._

Vision wandering towards the hint of city lights around the edges of the window blinds, his eyelids drooped tiredly.

_I'm sure he won't mind a fellow super-programmer checking out our work. I don't think we've ever had a chance to demonstrate our mainframe to anyone. I'd like to see how he compares to her ability anyway. He's competent enough as our legendary-level hack wizard, but... Maho's work is like nothing else I've seen. Certainly a few tiers beyond what I can do. I've already learned half a dozen tricks and shortcuts, just through our recent emails._

Heartbeat quickening, he shifted his posture.

_Her ability is amazing, even after what my best friend is capable of. That's why I want her to see what we've accomplished... That, and maybe just to see those incredible green eyes of hers again..._

* * *

**Friday, January 13th, 2012; Tokyo Denki University; 1:11p.m.**

Looking around the interior of his classroom, listening to the nonstop pattering of keyboard keys with mild paranoia, Okabe's hand slipped into his bag laying beside the tower of his computer station, withdrawing a USB flash drive from its depths, revealing 'RINE' scrawled onto its side with a turn of his fingers.

_Right. Beginning clandestine communications via the school network..._

Plugging the drive into a multi-port USB hub, a window appeared onscreen, and with a straight face and double-click, he opened a single program, 'rine_basic'.

Seconds later, another plainly formatted window appeared, and was promptly reduced in size to the bottom of the screen. To the right, a small open panel listed only one other user online, 'DaSH', confirming the presence of the program on another computer nearby.

Peeking over his shoulder, and spotting the slightly overweight build of a fellow lab member, topped by an ever-present yellow ball cap, Okabe discreetly clicked on the username, starting a new chat conversation in plain html text.

_Daru._

Waiting for several seconds, mouse wheel rolling beneath his finger, a reply appeared a short time later.

_Go._

_Remember when I went to that seminar the other day?_

_Yep._

_Remember how I said I met the two main members of the AI project?_

_Yep._

_Been talking to the lead programmer via email._

_Cool._

_There's a high chance she's coming to the lab tonight to see our project._

Heads turning and eyes meeting from afar, Okabe restrained a smile, and Daru blinked repeatedly.

_Serious?_

_Totally._

_You've been telling someone about our work?_

_She talked about hers in exchange. The stuff she does is amazing. She coded almost all of the AI programming on her own._

_I'll be the judge of that._

_Fine. Be warned, she's unstoppable with Ruby. Wrote her own OS for her project too._

_Based on what?_

_On what she's shown me._

_Meant the OS dude._

_Oh, its custom, like ours. From the ground up._

_Screencaps or it didn't happen._

_I'll show you after class._

_K._

Chuckling lightly, and minimizing the chat window, Okabe's eyes distractedly resumed reading the browser page on the screen.

_You'll see, Daru. Maho defies expectations for being a computational powerhouse._

* * *

**Friday, January 13th, 2012; Kuramaebashi-dori, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:43p.m.**

Strolling into a sparsely traveled alley, pavement damp from a short-lived snowfall an hour before, Maho walked with a determined pace, hands kept warm in the pockets of her olive-green coat. Keeping an eye on her surroundings with occasional turns of her head, her bangs brushed against her face, cheeks tinted red from the cold air.

_Regardless of Japan's reputation for public safety... Strolling through unfamiliar streets on your own is ill-advised. Still. It would appear I'm near my destination. Right? The alley before the traffic light, a brick building by the name of..._

Drawing to a halt near the front of a quaint little CRT shop, her eyes searched the exterior for a name, eventually finding a mailbox tucked into the shade of a nearby stairwell. Drawing closer, a faded plaque displayed 'Ohiyama Building', and on one of the boxes below, a laminated paper badge proudly touted 'Future Data Laboratory'.

Exhaling with humor from the cryptic name, a puff of steam rose into the air.

_That explains the rest of your email handle._

Eyes rising to a large window a story above, with blinds drawn on one side and a snowflake decal present on the pane of glass, her hand withdrew her smartphone from the warmth of her coat pocket.

_This must be the place..._

Composing a new reply to their string of messages, her thumb tapped on the send button.

'Here.'

Discerning the opening and closing of an unseen door, she peeked down the empty street, eyes rising into the grey overcast sky above the varying heights of structures lining the streets. Realizing then that a set of footsteps were approaching, her attention whirled back to the nearby stairwell, only to discover the slender, tall profile of a college student emerging from the shadow within.

"Misses Hiyajo... Maho."

Breath left her nose as a calm, distantly familiar voice accompanied the gentle features of the young man's face brought into the fading daylight.

"O-Okabe. Hello."

Vision meeting his eyes with her own, a hint of a smile brushed aside her prior uncertainty as his open hand extended towards her.

_There's that red sweater again._

"Welcome."

Meeting his larger hand with her own in a single shake, both of them withdrew into their pockets in an oddly familiar repeat moment, and Maho nodded towards the window above.

"So, this is your secret lair, I assume?"

"Just upstairs, yes. Daru and Mayuri are already here."

"Mayuri?"

"A friend of mine since childhood... She's an essential member of the lab."

"Is she a programmer too?"

"Not at all."

Brow quirking, she watched as Okabe turned and gestured towards the stairwell.

"Please come inside. I imagine you're cold from walking."

"A little bit."

"It stays nice and warm inside."

"Good."

Moving in tandem to the concrete steps, with Maho remaining just behind Okabe, she watched the rise and fall of his shoes, entirely unsure what to expect.

"I assume you've been well?"

Blinking from the wayward query, her vision rose to his somewhat unkempt hair as he rounded the corner of the stairwell.

"Yes, I've... Been working on things on and off. I went with the professor yesterday to one of his meetings. Nothing too exciting."

"Doesn't seem like you're rushed for time."

"We aren't. A month is a long time for a work vacation."

"Have you been enjoying your stay here in Tokyo?"

"I have. Been better than the last time I visited."

"Oh? You've been to Japan before?"

"I grew up here, actually."

Halting his ascent, Okabe turned aside.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Lived in Okinawa until I moved to America."

"I kind of assumed by your name, but I suppose I never bothered to confirm it until now."

"Well, its true. Have you always lived in Tokyo?"

"Ikebukero. Toshima ward."

"Always been a city boy, huh?"

Smiling from her quip, he shrugged.

"Perhaps."

Continuing up the stairwell again, reaching a small landing, his arm reached for the handle of the metal door before them. Twisting and pulling the entrance open with a noisy rattle, Okabe peeked inside, allowing a hint of music and keyboard pattering to escape.

_"Okarin?"_

_"Password?"_

"I was just inside!"

_"Doesn't matter."_

"Fine. Monkey wrench."

Pulling the door open, revealing the soft glow of lights from the room's interior, Okabe motioned for Maho to follow as he stepped inside, slipping off his shoes. Continuing forward onto the faded wooden flooring, he then paused with a turn as she ducked inside, closing the door behind, and dropping her lone slipper free from her foot, only to kneel down and untie the shoe present on her other foot.

_There must be a reason for the mismatching footwear, but for the life of me..._

"Oh, a guest?"

Peeking around Okabe's legs as he turned with a nod, Maho's eyes met those of another dark haired young woman, who spun in her computer chair with a cord-tangling whirl.

"I see Daru failed to notify you... This is my recently acquainted pen pal."

"From the seminar?"

Rising upright, Maho stepped beside Okabe, hesitantly entering the living room, and Mayuri rose to her feet, awkwardly unraveling the keyboard's cable from her legs, and stepping forward.

"Ohh, I didn't know it was a girl!"

Gathering Daru's attention to the scene, Maho blinked as the sheen of glasses and a yellow ball cap turned towards her, above an obviously overweight body seated on a second chair.

"That's the programmer?"

"She's so petite! Such long hair! So cute!"

Lost for words between Okabe's amused expression, Daru's perplexed stare, and then the overly friendly girl shaking her apparently-outstretched arm, Maho blinked repeatedly.

"I..."

"Welcome to the Future Data Laboratory, miss Hiyajo. Us three are the founding members. The friendly face before you is Shiina Mayuri, member double-oh-three."

"I go by Mayushii, but Mayuri is fine too. What's your name?"

"...I'm Maho. _Hiyajo_ , Maho."

"Nice to meet you. I'm super glad to meet another girl, you know! Its been us three for so long, and I've wondered if we'd ever have another lady to balance things out around here."

"Ah, well... You're welcome I guess. I'm just visiting per Okabe's invitation but..."

"Well no matter what, new friends are always welcome here!"

Exhaling from her persistent friendliness, Maho then realized Daru was still staring at her, eyes visible behind his glasses, and her brow furrowed.

"You okay over there?"

"That's Daru, my right hand man, and member double-oh-two."

"You're really the lead programmer of the Amadeus project?"

"I am, is that a problem?"

"Not at all, loli-tan. I guess I expected someone, you know..."

Expression flattening, Maho's eyes narrowed as her posture straightened.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't worry about him. He's really quite harmless, but his exposure to the opposite sex is mostly limited to those on screens, so h-."

"HEY! Not cool bro! It takes macho skill and suave to seduce 2D ladies."

"Along with great precision of one's dextral input with a mouse cursor, we know."

Turning away with a spin of his chair and a huff, Daru resumed his focus on the screen, and Maho looked up to Okabe, only for a hand to settle onto her shoulder.

"Would you like a tour of the lab?"

Attention whirling to Mayuri, her mouth opened in hesitation.

"I, well... It doesn't look very big."

"Mmm, but big or small, the lab is a friendly place we all can call home. Come along with me, misses Maho!"

Dragged away amid a short-lived protest, Maho gave up resistance as Mayuri began openly describing the various features and areas of the apartment, and Okabe walked over beside Daru, hands slipping into his pockets as he observed his work on-screen, fingers flying across the keyboard in his lap.

"Did you fix the resolution issue with the renderer?"

"It won't support above twenty-fourty-eight pixels."

"Sad day."

"Yeah. Its not like we're the only ones with their systems hooked up to televisions."

"Woe are those unable to full-screen to four-oh-ninety-six."

"For real."

"...And finally, the holy grail of computer power. Nothing in the world compares to this mighty machine... According to Okarin."

Head turning, and watching with amusement as Maho and Mayuri appeared behind the unoccupied computer chair, Okabe then realized Maho's eyes were busily scrutinizing the setup in front of herself.

"Those are huge screens."

"Fourty-eight inch televisions, actually."

"Two of them?"

"Multi-monitor support for multi-tasking mayhem."

Eyes flitting aside from Okabe's quote, the chair beside herself squeaked from Mayuri plopping into it.

"Need the mouse, Mayushii?"

"Just to start the video."

"You got it."

"Uh, I thought we had the double-cursor input installed."

"Its still buggy. I disabled it for now."

"Hmm."

Heads turning from the audio and motion of an actively-streaming anime now playing on the right-hand monitor, Maho realized Daru was still busy at work on the left screen, and she peered closer to the variety of windows opened, discerning dozens of lines of code and a slowly-drifting line graph tucked among them.

"F Sharp, huh?"

"You've used it, I'm sure."

"Many times. Whatcha got going on there?"

"The 3D renderer that's currently running refuses to go higher than twenty-fourty-eight pixels. So I'm fixing that."

"Filling up your copious amounts of monitor space?"

"You got it."

"What about that one?"

"Related. Had to patch the software since it was having client-side issues."

"Is that because of your special operating system?"

Daru's head tilted, and with the press of a key, a circular window appeared on the right of the screen, with several contextual menu arms extending outward from the drifting of the mouse cursor.

"Yeah. Kinda."

Watching with widening eyes as one option was selected with a click, the button expanded outward into a new window, and Maho blinked from the previously unseen visual function.

"Whoa... You didn't tell me it did that."

Eyes meeting Okabe's, a grin broadened across his face.

"Couldn't reveal all of the secrets."

"Did you design that?"

"I did. Consider it a new form of the task bar, but in a radial form."

"That looked awesome."

"Okarin likes stylish visual flair, but he hides it all in his computing."

Distracted by Mayuri's statement, and then the anime still playing on her screen, Maho then peered back toward Okabe, who was now looking away, chin held high.

"Its true."

"That's why he's member double-oh-one. He's our original digital fashionista."

Face grimacing from the word choice, Okabe then cleared his throat in an attempt to save face.

"In any case, miss Hiyajo, what lies before you is our ultimate creation, to which I have described in some detail among our prior conversation."

"So other than the huge monitors, what's under the hood?"

"Mmhm, Daru, would you mind?"

"Sure. Did you count the towers on the left, miss Maho?"

Stepping aside for a better view, a line of large dark cases stood side by side, tethered together by dozens of multi-colored cables.

"...Eight."

"Yep. All eight linked in series. Six are dedicated to RAM, and the two with the decals are the homes of the GPUs."

"Wait... In series? This is one of those cluster setups, right?"

"You got it. The server over there runs the middleware that controls all of it as one single system."

"Okabe here had me convinced that it was one single unit that you guys were modifying."

"Far from it."

"Well, mister Rintarou, your non-specific descriptors left me in the dark."

"Mmm, my apologies, miss Hiyajo. Did you ask Amadeus to solve my ambiguous values for you?"

Trading quirked eyebrows, Maho's arms crossed.

"Her input was not necessary."

"Her? Amadeus is a she?"

"The current memory data sets are both female, yes."

"So, does that mean Amadeus is a 2D waifu simulator?"

"What? No!"

"Ehehe, Daru already has several wives in his virtual harem."

"And there's always room for more, Mayushii."

Blinking from the conversation entering her ears, Maho exhaled as Okabe gave her an implicit nod to explain.

"Amadeus... My project, rather, is an artificial intelligence system that emulates an interactive person, based on the scanned memory of a human being."

Watching then as both Daru and Mayuri's heads turned from her mouthful, a breath left her nose.

"Wait, you programmed an AI brain emulator?"

"Well... Yes. It actively learns and remembers, and has a personality. It responds to questions, and can hold conversation."

"Wow, so its just like a real person?"

"In a way. It still resides on a computer, but the memories it operates with are very much real."

"Is that what you were showing at the seminar?"

"Its up-to-date form, yes. Okabe spoke to it that day."

Eyes rising to the young man in question, he nodded with affirmation.

"Was an unusual experience, to say the least."

"Is that where you two met?"

"It is indeed, Mayuri. By happenstance, I encountered her professor, and in turn, met misses Hiyajo herself."

"Okabe was dying to know the ins and outs of my work."

"And I was interested enough to lend my ear for the duration of her explanation."

"Thanks for listening."

"You're welcome."

Trading looks of humor and wrinkling noses, both individuals then noticed Daru's index finger was rising into the air.

"So... The real question."

All three heads turned as he corrected his glasses.

"Are you guys going to develop a real 3D woman next?"

"No."

"Lame!"

"I thought you were a 2D man, hack."

"Doesn't matter. The world needs cybernetic robotic babes too."

Shaking her head, Maho distractedly peered towards the large screens in front of them again.

_Alright. Only been here a few minutes and... Nothing is even remotely what I've expected it to be so far._

* * *

Sipping from a mug of barley tea offered by Mayuri minutes earlier, Maho sat in one of the computer chairs, legs crossed and eyes narrow, studying and scrutinizing Okabe and Daru's back-and-forth commentary on the computer before her.

"So aside from the 3D render software, there's five other programs currently running that I've been supervising."

"Keeping busy."

"The amount of file movement gets pretty crazy sometimes."

"Task viewer says there's currently... Fifty-four percent of virtual memory committed, with everything going."

"Seems to be running smooth."

"Under normal operating conditions, it hardly breaks a sweat. That's why we push the envelope, and see what this beast is made of."

"Yeah? What is it made of?"

Both young men turned to Maho, and a hint of a smile lifted her cheek.

"I coded Amadeus to run nine functions at once with hardly a stutter. What do you guys have in this system to make it so powerful?"

Looking at each other, both Okabe and Daru turned towards the row of eight towers, appearing to count several things on their fingers.

"For starters... Twelve terabytes of RAM."

" _TERABYTES?_ "

"The server has eight terabytes of storage space on its own."

"Four GTX 680 cards on twin SLI mounting."

"Plus the... What, fourteen external hard drives around?"

"And the five billion flash drives you've been collecting."

"Gotta catch em all, man."

Reaching over and tugging out a drawer beneath the dual monitors, a literal pile of USB storage drives of various colors and shapes was revealed, only to be stowed away again.

"Water cooled, hence the tank and piping in back..."

Finally peeking back towards Maho, the cup in her hand had settled back onto the platter in her lap, and their eyes met, with Okabe amused by her wide eyed expression.

"You guys have a ridiculous amount of storage space at your disposal."

"That's the idea. We can store and run anything and everything."

Distractedly eying the shelving surrounding the mainframe, with hard drives and boxes of spare parts nestled among endless stacks of anime and video games, her brow furrowed.

"So aside from your, uh, stress tests, and obviously gaming... What do you guys do with this thing?"

Exchanging another set of expressions, and shrugs, both young men opened their mouths at the same time.

"Jobs."

"Research."

"And hacking!"

Looking over from the cheerful addition of Mayuri's voice, Maho blinked.

"Ahh, _well_ , we like to keep our operations within the limits of legality for the most part, though admittedly... Clandestine curiosity can occur."

Okabe smiled weakly as Daru looked away, and Maho lifted her mug to her face again.

"Uh... _Huh_."

_Speaking of curiosity... How much have they spent on this monstrosity? Okabe said they use some of the university's money now and then but... I'm starting to feel like that's a understatement. Twelve terabytes of RAM? You could buy a used car in America with that amount of money!_

Peeking towards a distracted Mayuri as she stepped up beside her chair, eyes on the still-streaming show being played on the right hand screen, Maho's mouth drifted open.

"Mayu... Shiina, right?"

"Mhm!"

"Are you... Computer inclined at all? Besides just the basics?"

"Mmm, Mayushii isn't on the level of Okarin or Daru by any means. She's still in training."

"Oh, well, that's alright. A lot of what we do isn't really too easy or exciting to other people."

"Yes it is! Mayushii loves when her computer wizard friends make big discoveries. She doesn't always understand what they are and what they do, but the important part is that she supports them no matter what."

Leaning back in the chair from Mayuri's smile of unending appreciation, prompting a squeak as the seat reclined back, Maho's brow rose with pleasant surprise.

_Well that's... Remarkably selfless. Ordinarily people that don't fully understand things like this, wouldn't bother to give it the time of day. But you... You're appreciative even without being involved. That's a wonderful quality._

Heart beating with newfound respect for a newly met friend, Maho gripped the mug in her hand as Mayuri disappeared behind, footsteps wandering across the wood flooring.

_I think I see why Okabe likes having you around now._

Halting in the kitchen with a turn, Mayuri peeked back towards the twin screens, only for her eyes to wander to the people silhouetted in front of them. Looking between the tall, slender stature of Okabe standing between the two computer chairs, and the shorter, petite figure of Maho seated beside him, Mayuri's eyes twinkled from the sight, as she leaned against the rounded edge of the kitchen counter.

_Okarin found a new friend that's just as nerdy and techy as him, and she might even become a member of the lab._

Hands clasping together silently, she eyed Maho with increasing fondness.

_That would be amazing! More friends are just what the data lab needs... Especially another girl._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 1:09a.m.**

A series of yawns ensued among the low hum of active electronic devices, and Maho's arms rose in individual stretches, watched with discreet interest by an equally-fatigued Okabe.

"...I think I'm finding the limits of my own runtime duration."

"Same."

"What's the time?"

"Ten after one."

"I think we've burned the midnight oil well enough."

Rubbing an eye, brushing a tuft of hair aside, Maho squinted at Okabe as she rose to her feet.

"You and your endless, dated metaphors."

"I prefer the term timeless."

"Regardless. Your lexicon pulls from all over the place."

"I consider that a good thing."

Eyebrow quirking with amusement, Maho then peeked back towards the distant door, realizing a prior occupant was now absent.

"When did Mayuri leave?"

"Hours ago. She headed for the station around ten-thirty."

"Oh."

"Computers warp time like that."

"Oh I know."

"We already have time twisting capabilities, in the form of desktop PCs."

Rolling her eyes from the nonsense remark, Maho then began towards her olive-green coat, laying folded on the back of the nearby couch.

"Heading out?"

"Yeah. Didn't realize it was already so late."

"A common occurrence here in the lab, believe me."

"I didn't really plan on anything after visiting here so..."

_...So, eight hours later, I'm still here. Jeez._

Pulling the sleeves over her arms, and adjusting the wrists with separate tugs on the folds, she then peeked back to Okabe, eyes meeting bashfully.

"...B-But, that's fine. Honestly."

"Well we appreciate you taking the time to visit, no matter the duration."

"Then I thank you for having me here. I wasn't sure what to expect... Especially with your custom cluster monster over there."

"I like this new nickname, Maho-tan."

Shaking her head from Daru's voice, both her and Okabe traded smiles of amusement, only for the slender young man to calmly approach.

"Miss Hiy- _ahh_... Maho."

Head tilting, she faced the taller college student.

"Yes?"

"Your hotel isn't far, I assume."

"It isn't."

"Would you like me to accompany you there, in consideration of the late hour?"

Tiredly discerning the spoken query, her chin rose with visible hesitation.

"I should be fine."

"Alright."

Peeking towards the nearby window, the darkness of the wintry world outside the glass suddenly became far more intimidating, however, and she shivered in realization.

_I should be... But its the middle of the night. Even in a safe place like Tokyo..._

"A-Actually, uh, I guess if you don't mind..."

"I don't."

"Will you be alright returning on your own?"

"I travel alone quite often. You have no need to worry about me."

"If you insist."

Attention wandering towards the nearby doorway, and then Okabe's shoes sitting on the floor near her own mismatched footwear, she quietly exhaled.

_Right. He's lived here for years, probably. I think I'm just used to living in the wild west of America. We're in the middle of Tokyo. Things are different, and the people..._

Peeking towards a patiently waiting Okabe, she began into motion, socks shuffling along the smooth, faded flooring.

_The people are certainly different. In a good way._

* * *

Temporarily re-awakened by the cold air of a January morning, both Maho and Okabe walked in tandem along the segmented concrete of Chuo-dori, illuminated by streetlamps in passing.

"It never ceases to amaze me how quiet the streets are here."

"America must be a noisy place."

A breath of humor left her nose from his remark.

"You have no idea."

"Do you like living there?"

"It has its perks. And just as many drawbacks."

"Good enough to reason staying?"

"I've definitely thought about moving back to Okinawa but... Maybe after I've done my time at the university."

"Dedicated to research?"

"Always have been."

"For years my parents always insisted I dedicate myself to schooling, and after the first year at Tokyo Denki, I finally realized they were right in saying so."

"Oh yeah?"

"Education is priceless, and not to be squandered."

"Not to mention expensive to waste."

"No doubt."

For a moment, both of their eyes wandered into the dark sky, stars visibly obscured by cloud cover.

"Do your parents pay for your education?"

"I... Well, I've gotten scholarships so... No, they don't."

"Must be handy in America. I hear everyone's in debt over there."

"They are, and its crazy. Something so important for the future of humanity, and people are buried alive by the cost."

"Its cheaper here in Japan."

"Oh I know. If I didn't get the full ride that I did, I'd be attending school here."

Entertained by the thought of a short-statured and feistily-tempered Maho wandering the halls of Tokyo Denki, Okabe's mouth curled into a chuckle, drawing her attention.

"Is that funny somehow?"

"A little bit."

"Why's that?"

"Oh, well... You say you'd rather be here, but your university is the only thing keeping you in America."

"Not the only thing but... It is the main reason."

"Couldn't you just transfer here and do research abroad?"

"Yeah. I could. I'm sure I will eventually but... I think I'm still coming to terms with the plan. Moving from here to the states was daunting, so I guess I'm just hesitant about doing the whole ocean-crossing thing again."

"Ah. Now I understand."

"Yeah. Didn't really mention that part earlier. Moving is a pain in the ass."

Laughing lightly from her conclusive comment, Okabe looked towards her, finding a teasing, amused smile on her expression as they approached another streetlamp.

"Have you moved a lot?"

"Twice. The second time was partially to the lab."

"Partially?"

"A lot of belongings are there, but not quite everything."

"You still go home, don't you?"

"I do. Hard to beat the meals and comforts."

"Were you planning on going back this weekend?"

"I wasn't, actually."

"No?"

"I helped with the store last weekend and got paid with groceries for the week."

"Ah."

"I'll be around the lab for the duration."

"Do you even have a bed in there?"

"The couches suffice."

"That can't be comfortable."

"You'd be surprised, actually."

Looking up to him, blinking tiredly, her nose wrinkled.

"Personally, I'd have a hard time going without a proper bed."

"I'm sure you're in need of one as we speak."

Head tilting away, realizing they were steadily approaching the street-side courtyard of her hotel, a breath issued from her lungs.

"Yeah."

Vision rising to the structure ahead, Okabe kept beside her pace as they turned in a heading towards the entrance.

"I assume this is the place?"

"It is."

"Very well."

Drawing to a slow halt, puffs of warm air leaving their mouths in a back and forth exchange, both young adults stood still, facing the double doors just ahead. Then, with a fleeting shuffle of clothing, Okabe's head lowered in a bow, eyes observing her mismatched shoes below.

"Miss Hiyajo... Maho."

Arms crossing, eyelids heavy but still quirking with humor, a breath wandered from her nose as he straightened upright again.

_Pick one._

"Thank you for taking the time to visit the lab."

"Mm. Thank you for inviting me. I didn't know what to expect but..."

Hesitating, only for further words to be temporarily tangled in her mind, her lips pressed shut with mild embarrassment from the unintended drawl.

"Hopefully your time spent with us wasn't wasted."

Blinking, a smile spread across her features.

"Not at all."

Seeing an additional smile bloom upon Okabe's expression, a hint of a blush warmed her cheeks.

"That computer of yours... I wasn't too sure at first, but its really something different. In a good way."

Head lowering again, he offered a nod.

"Thank you. That truly means a lot from you... I mean, with your legendary programming skill and all."

Eyes flitting around from goofy, restrained blushes, both young adults tried to save face.

"You... You're welcome. I'm not legendary by any means, bu-"

"Nonsense. The world simply hasn't discovered your talents yet. But with Amadeus in the works, I'm sure that'll soon change."

Heart racing, Maho looked away, cheeks unbearably warm.

_Stop, you... Person full of compliments._

"In any case... I suppose you're ready for a well-earned sleep, so I'll let you be."

"I'm used to being up late. You're the one that needs sleep here... Being in college and all."

Hands slipping into the pockets of his coat, his shoulders rose in a shrug.

"I suppose you're right."

Waiting patiently for further words, only for none to arrive among a moment of silence, both of them hesitantly turned away, and Maho began towards the front door of the hotel lobby, arm rising to the handle.

"Good night, Miss Hiyajo."

Pausing from the spoken farewell wandering through the cold air, her fingers curled tightly around the cold steel of the door handle.

_You keep calling me that, but there's no need to be so formal. Just call me Maho. Like how I say your name... Okabe._

Head turning, chin brushing against her shoulder, a puff of steam issued from between her lips.

"Good night... Okabe."

Pulling the door open, and slipping inside, met by the warm air of the hotel's interior, her eyes rose to the patterned ceiling above, footsteps echoing among the room devoid of people and movement. Revolving around with curiosity, looking beyond the glass doorway, a fleeting glimpse of the college student's backside met her eyes, disappearing into the darkness of the city a moment later.

Squinting from the short-lived sight, a pang of loneliness prodded at her insides.

_Okabe-san... It seems the tables have turned somehow. You were the one interested in my work with Amadeus... And now I'm interested in your work with that monstrous computer in that apartment. You and your hobby defy description... And I guess I'm just the same, huh? Except my work is research, not a hobby, and, well..._

Eyes closing, and fingers rising to her eyes, she grunted after a momentary rubbing of her eyelids, beginning in a heading towards a pair of elevators nearby.

_...Alright. There's no way I'm thinking straight anymore. I need to go to bed. Now. Before I turn into a zombie._


	3. 0011

**Saturday, January 14th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 2:17p.m.**

Laying in a tangled mess of sheets, with her clothing and mane of hair in equally disheveled shape, Maho groggily stared at the free-standing hard drive sitting on the desk of her hotel room beside her laptop.

_You know... Considering the specs of that machine of theirs... It would have no trouble running the software. Just as long as they have a decent internet connection._

Brow furrowing, her eyes flitted towards the blue and white smartphone laying face down on the bed, within arm's reach.

_I feel like I should probably ask the professor first... But its not like we haven't run Amadeus on guest computers before, and its not like I don't know what I'm doing... I created the damn thing, after all._

Eyes closing, imagining a future conversation and explanation with professor Leskinen, her vision flitted open to her phone again.

_It'll be for research. Interacting with new people. Tons of new data and conversations to analyze... He's just going to have to deal with it._

Hand flopping over, and fingers curling around the device, she turned it over, gripping it in her palm, and opened the email application with several taps of her thumb.

_Yep. He's going to deal with it, because I've hardly done anything this past week, and after yesterday, I might have an interesting new system at my disposal._

'Morning, got a question for you. Involves Amadeus.'

Sending the short message, the phone slipped from her grasp, and she shut her eyes in the following silence, twisting to the side in a stretch of her back and legs.

_Knowing Okabe, I'm sure he can't resist anything to do with Amadeus, so he's likely to -_

_***bzzzzzttt*** _

Eye peeking open, and a smile creeping onto her face, she lifted the phone into view.

'What sort of question? - Okabe'

_Uh huh. That was easy._

'Been thinking about your system. Would it be okay if I tried running a session of Amadeus on it? I'm sure its more than capable.

\- Maho =^-_-^='

Waiting patiently as the screen dimmed, went dark, and then re-illuminated among the vibration of an inbound response, her smile broadened across her cheeks.

'By all means. That would be incredible. When would you like to do this?'

'Today. Maybe. Got nothing else going on. What about you?'

'Likewise. Come over whenever. We'll have the system ready for use as soon as you arrive.'

'Give me an hour. I'll be there.'

'Take your time. No need to hurry.'

'Thank you.'

Phone sinking face-down onto the sheets again, she twisted in a roll, flopping against the cool drywall beside the bed.

_Alrighty. Guess I'm going to be testing Amadeus today. I wonder how Kurisu's memory will react to seeing the guy with the red sweater again..._

Exhaling, and then humming with amusement, Maho's bare feet drug along the smooth surface of the wall.

_She hasn't met the other two though. The combination of people and variables will definitely make this worthwhile. Can't wait to see what kind of conversational data results...!_

Pushing away from the wall, and rising upward with a shove of her arms, she blinked from the nearby alarm clock, displaying the current time.

_Already afternoon... Guess that's what I get for staying up so late._

Grasping her phone and lurching out of the clutches of the bed sheets, dragging the entrails of cloth with her legs and pulling a majority of the bedding off of the mattress, she grunted, finally stepping free of the mass of blankets.

_Whatever. Wake up late, stay up late. Early mornings are overrated._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory; Akihabara, Tokyo; 3:32p.m.**

Knocking on the steel door of the apartment, with a backpack slung from her shoulders, Maho's hand lowered to her side.

"Hello...?"

_"Password?"_

Discerning the voice of Daru muffled within, her brow furrowed, only for two other voices to speak up in response, with Okabe's becoming clearly audible in an approach.

_"Dammit man, I told you she was coming over again."_

_"Even so, she should know the password by now."_

_"Mayushii thinks Maho-chan doesn't need a password, cause she's always welcome."_

Watching the door handle twist, the hinges squealed among the rattle of metal as the entrance swung open, and the presence of Okabe was revealed, bringing Maho's eyes upward to his friendly expression.

"The door wasn't locked, just so you know."

"Well I'd rather be polite."

"Understood. Please come in."

Backing aside, Okabe looked at her backpack with a flicker of interest as she stepped inside, taking off her shoes.

_That's right. To think we're about to host Amadeus... On our own machine!_

Walking further into the room, he watched with a smile as Mayuri hurried past, enveloping Maho in a great big hug, nearly lifting her off of her feet.

"Mmm! Maho-chan is so huggable and adorable! She's like a human-sized plushie!"

Stepping up beside a temporarily distracted Daru, Okabe peered back towards the scene as well.

"Maho-tan silenced by Mayushii's marshmallows... Win!"

Waiting patiently as Maho was released from the mighty embrace, face red from the apparent squeezing, she exhaled in recuperation, and slipped off her backpack.

"Did you bring it along?"

"Obviously. Why else would I have come here?"

Approaching the pair of office chairs, shrugging her coat from her shoulders, she set the bag onto the floor between her feet and began working free of the textile.

"Mayushii thinks Maho-chan secretly wanted to visit her new friends too."

Looking over at Mayuri, now kneeling on the closer couch with her arms resting on the frame backing, Maho exhaled, unable to resist a smile.

"Maybe."

"Ehehe, why else would she be back already?"

Peering down into the backpack, and then reaching down and pulling the zipper open, she exchanged the coat for the hard drive residing within.

_I'm back because mister Rintarou has permitted use of his computer... And I'm about to introduce all of you to the culmination of my work and research at the university._

Retrieving a matching USB cable for the hard drive, as well as a bundled webcam, she then brushed the backpack aside with her foot, and stepped up between Okabe and Daru, eying the huge twin-monitors, both filled with overlapping program instances.

"So..."

"That your brain simulator thing?"

"It is. Do you think I could run it?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Okarin already gave you permission, right?"

"He did, but you're currently using it, so I wanted to be sure."

Watching as nearly a dozen windows and programs were promptly closed and minimized, Daru then gestured towards the USB hub sitting between the bases of the monitors.

"Go ahead and hook it up."

"Alright. It requires a webcam to communicate, too, so..."

"That's fine."

Untangling both cords, and plugging in the hard drive and webcam alike, she strung the drive's power cable towards a nearby surge protector, only to hesitate.

"Before we fire everything up... You guys are okay with being test subjects, right?"

"Test subjects?"

"Amadeus has interacted with Okabe previously, but you and Mayuri will both be new to the system. Are you okay with talking to an artificial intelligence?"

"Heck yeah."

"Mayushii is fine with it."

Looking finally to Okabe, he nodded with expected affirmation.

"I think we're all ready if you are."

"Okay. It'll take a few minutes to install the peripheral software, and to establish a connection to the university's servers."

Pushing the plug into an available outlet, she turned aside as a new window appeared, with the name of the hard drive and several files listed within.

"That one, right?"

"Executable, or the batch file. Either one works."

Watching as an installer started and began copying new files, Maho blinked from the absurdly fast progress, taking less than ten seconds for the program to finish installation.

_Wow, alright..._

"Webcam drivers are already done too."

"In that case, open the config file, unless you'd rather have it do automatic optimization."

"Screw that. Customization is where its at."

Clicking on the small icon for configuration settings, a new window expanded across the monitor, and Maho began smiling as familiar text and formatting options filled the left hand screen.

"Ooh, fancy."

Heart beating from Daru's drawl, she watched as Okabe stepped closer, peering at the screen with great interest. Motioning downward with his finger, his hand touched his chin as Daru began exploring a wide variety of available settings and options.

"Go to the command line input."

"You read my mind."

Arms crossing as both young men scrutinized at least a hundred lines of code listed on the screen, the wheel of the mouse in Daru's hand spun under his index finger repeatedly, only to suddenly halt.

"Aww yeah, custom resolution input _GET!_ "

Fingers flying across the keyboard, moving to other lines and altering the values of several additional settings, Maho exhaled with slight disbelief as both Daru and Okabe made quick work of modifying the available code within.

"Most people would let the auto-optimizer do everything for them."

"Most people are lazy."

"Most people don't appreciate the unseen internal workings, but we certainly do."

Eyes wandering from the screen, to the hint of a goatee on Okabe's chin, Maho's posture shifted onto her other leg.

_Yes, you do. And I appreciate that._

"Alright. Config is done. Anything else?"

"Should be ready to start."

"Cool. The autorun, I assume?"

"Yep."

Watching as the screens darkened, only for a molten-orange 'LOGIN' to fade into view on the left-hand monitor, two additional text boxes appeared, and Okabe stepped back, lifting the keyboard from the chair beside himself, and offering both to Maho in a gesture.

"Oh. Thank you."

Plopping into the seat, legs folding and feet resting onto the wheeled legs of the chair beneath, Maho set the keyboard onto her lap, and her fingers pattered onto the keys in a countlessly repeated sequence.

"Salieri?"

Head turning slightly, her lips parted, but she remained hesitant.

"Its... A long story."

An equally quick input of a password filled the second text bar, and after a swift tap on the enter key, the screens faded to black again, and several hearts in the room began beating in anticipation.

_Salieri. As in the composer? Then who's..._

Watching with a furrowing brow and a beating heart as the familiar scorching appearance of AMADEUS was emblazoned across the screen, Okabe stared at the image.

_...Wait a minute._

Exhaling as a gentle startup tone emitted from previously unseen speakers, four sets of eyes watched the sudden appearance of a red-haired young woman on the screen, who then tilted her head with visible confusion from the new setting, and then recognition as her eyes met Maho, and Okabe in sequence.

"Senpai, and mister Rintarou too? Good afternoon."

"Afternoon."

"Whoa."

"Oh my gosh, the robot is a girl too!"

Watching as Mayuri appeared beside Daru, the avatar on the screen observed the two new faces with great curiosity.

"Are these friends of yours, Maho?"

"They're friends of Okabe's. They've all been nice enough to allow me to host you on their system."

"Ohhh. That explains the new environment. I've never seen this one before."

"This is their apartment in Akihabara."

"Laboratory."

" _That_."

"Mmm, a laboratory? It certainly seems different than the university."

Looking over at Daru's raised-eyebrow stare, and Mayuri's open mouth and clasped hands, the avatar then smiled.

"Go ahead and introduce yourselves."

"Uh, I'm Hashida... Itaru."

"Shiina Mayuri. But call me Mayushii."

"Nice to meet you two. My name is Makise Kurisu. I am the twelfth iteration of her memory file set operating through the Amadeus system. Please feel free to ask me anything, and I will try to answer as best as I am able to."

Met with thoroughly surprised expressions in response, and then an ensuing moment of silence, Makise looked back towards Maho briefly, only for her eyes to settle onto Okabe, mouth curling with humor.

"I see you've made acquaintances with miss Hiyajo."

"I have."

"Mmmmhm. Your questions were of great interest, mister Rintarou. I've reviewed the conversation recording three times since the conference."

"Is that so?"

"It is. Though the third time was per Maho's req-"

" _ALRIGHT_ , uh, Mayuri? Do you have anything you'd like to ask miss Makise?"

Smiling weakly after her forced interjection, Maho watched as several eyes turned to Mayuri, who touched her finger to her chin.

"Hmmm... Mayushii can't think of a question yet... But she thinks Amadeus-chan is super pretty for a computer program."

"Super hot, you mean."

"Eh?!"

Watching as Makise's cheeks were tinted in a previously unseen blush from both statements, her chin then rose in a saving of face, arms visibly propping onto her sides.

"Well, your appreciation is welcomed, however _your_ perversion is not."

"...And she's got attitude, awesome!"

"Ehehee, Mayushii likes Amadeus-chan already."

Several smiles, real and virtual, blossomed throughout the room, and Maho sat back in her chair with satisfaction.

_Seems I picked a good crowd. Today's data gathering is going to be interesting._

* * *

"Fourteen times thirty nine."

"Five hundred forty-six."

Eyebrow rising, Daru's thick arms crossed.

"Eight hundred divided by seven...?"

Watching for a moment as the program processed the calculation, Makise remained still.

"One hundred fourteen, point two-eight-five."

"How about..."

"There's more to my programming than basic calculations."

"Ask her something different from math."

"Okie dokie... Define, _'surreptitious_ '."

"Adjective. To obtain or act in a stealthy, clandestine manner."

"Try something intellectual, Daru."

"Ask her opinion on something."

Looking aside from both Maho and Okabe's statements, Itaru's head tilted.

"Makise..."

Correcting his glasses, his face then darkened.

"Do you... Plan on taking over the world in the future?"

A blanket of silence spread across the room as the AI remained unnervingly still.

"Of course not. How could that possibly be of value to me?"

"What?! How could you not desire ultimate power as an immortal computerized being?"

"Because the concept is ridiculous. Even as an AI capable of multi-tasking, one entity can't feasibly govern the entirety of the known world."

"How do you know that?"

"Given the similar scenarios of continent-spanning leadership that have taken place throughout human history, one lone individual would have extreme difficulty with supervision and direction of an empire that spans five hundred and ten million square kilometers."

"That doesn't mean it can't be done."

"Granted, but it would be highly inefficient and prone to failure."

"I rest my case."

"I disagree. Your conclusion is short-sighted, and I hereby declare it to be illogical."

Blinking from the AI's response, and her subsequent turn of the head, Daru leaned back in his chair with a huff, and Mayuri stepped forward.

"Miss Makise?"

"Yes, Mayuri?"

"What is your favorite color?"

"Indigo."

"So... Blue?"

"More of a purple."

"Is that because of your eyes?"

"Perhaps."

"What's your favorite dessert?"

"According to my real self's memories... Neapolitan ice cream. Or pumpkin-chocolate-chip cookies."

"Ohhh, two favorites? Those sound super yummy."

"What's your favorite, Mayuri?"

Blinking from the same redirected question, the young woman stood still.

"Mmmm... Mayushii enjoys Mochi and Crepes... Ooh, and sweet Karukan!"

"Those sound wonderful."

"They are! Grandma used to make Kurukan every time I would visit her when growing up. Hers always tasted the best, no matter what."

"My grandmother, or rather, human Makise's grandmother, has a well-revered rum cake recipe."

"Rum cake? As in... Alcohol?"

"Only in America."

"Most of the alcohol content is cooked out of it in the end."

Eyes meeting Maho from her statement, her head then rose from her arm, realizing she had the room's attention.

"Uh, anyway, continue."

"Senpai is correct, though the beverage is essential to the recipe."

"Mayushii is too young for alcohol."

"Well, you need not worry anyway. A sweet young lady like you has no need for it in her life."

Attention drifting over to Maho again, Makise's expression changed entirely, and her brow rose above crossed arms, looking remarkably unimpressed. Sensing the beginning of a womanly standoff, Okabe cautiously glanced between both of them, only to realize Maho's face remained calm, deflecting Kurisu's pointed look with ease.

"Don't give me that face."

"I can look at you however I wish, senpai."

"You're just envious that I'm of age."

"Envious?"

"I'm twenty-three years old. I can buy whatever beverages I want to."

"And you can sacrifice your health however you want."

Listening to ongoing banter between the virtual avatar and Maho, Okabe sat silently, both amused and startled by Maho's calm, audacious demeanor.

_There's that word again... Envy. I said it days ago, and in just the same manner, Amadeus skirted around it... Per Maho's programming to do exactly that._

"Don't pretend that your human self won't try things when she's old enough."

"I'm not pretending. I'm actually sixty-one percent certain she'll maintain her constitutions for the next five years."

"Then I'll be sure to offer her a bottle of wine soon, just to skew your calculations."

"You wouldn't dare, senpai."

"Oh I would."

"Mayushii can tell Maho-chan and Makise-chan are best friends."

Defusing an already weak argument, she watched with a sense of pride as both women looked at her.

"Oh, well... We're definitely close colleagues, but..."

"Best friends aren't afraid to get into debates, even over silly things. That's how I know."

Seeing a series of expressions get traded around the occupants of the room, Mayuri then turned to face Makise.

"I have another question."

Hesitating as Amadeus remained silent, only to realize it was waiting for her to speak, Mayuri then inhaled after gathering her thoughts.

"...Is Amadeus-chan best friends with the real Makise-chan? You sound like you care about your human self a whole lot."

Watching with interest from the following hesitation, all four humans awaited the AI's response.

"Of course I am, and I certainly do. Her memories have allowed me to exist, and I operate in the same manner she does. According to data logs... I find that we get along quite well."

"Until you get into debate mode."

"Debate is a healthy exercise of the mind."

"Mayushii doesn't like arguing just to argue... But she does like being right."

"Arguments are human nature, Mayuri."

"Maybe. But I think everyone can get along if they put their heart and mind into it."

Eyes meeting those of Amadeus again, Mayuri watched as the red-haired character nodded in response.

"I completely agree."

Looking between both young women, living and virtual, a breath left Maho's nose as Okabe peered down at her, both of them listening to the ongoing conversation beside them.

"You know... I'm certain now that her and Kurisu would get along great if they actually met."

"You think so?"

"Her memory update in Amadeus is only a month old. Even for an evolving AI... Their personalities are remarkably compatible."

* * *

**Saturday, January 14th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:36p.m.**

Sitting on a bench in the courtyard of her hotel, just beneath the shadow of a barren tree, Maho sat with her phone to her ear, bundled in her coat, and face nearly obscured by the thick, warm tufts of her hair against her cheeks.

"Yep... That's correct. Rintarou, and two of his friends were also present. You can review the logs if you want."

Slowly blinking, and watching the passing of other hotel guests, Maho's head tilted aside as the professor spoke for an increased duration.

"...Honestly I found it worthwhile to introduce them to Amadeus. Lecture me if you want, but... _What?_ "

Mouth drifting open with genuine surprise, her eyelids dropped shut.

"...You're sure its alright? I haven't really planned on further testing, today was just a whim. Plus their setup was more than enough to run... Yeah. Oh yeah. I'd have to make a list of what they've put into it. It'll blow your mind."

Picturing the dual monitors and eight towers in a line, a smile curled onto her lips.

"...Alright. If you're sure its okay, then I might end up doing more testing with them."

Nose rising from the wandering scent of baked goods, her eyes narrowed in a momentary survey of her surroundings.

_Wow, whatever that is... I want it._

"Alright. Talk to you later then."

Ending the call, and then rising to her feet, Maho's hands slipped into the pockets of her coat, and she looked left and right.

_Now that that's over with... Wherever you are, sweet bready goodness, I will find you... And I will eat you._

* * *

Sitting in front of her laptop, surrounded by several bags and unorganized piles of paperwork, one of several freshly baked Kashipan remained in Maho's grasp, distractedly nibbled on as she minimized a browser window on her laptop, promptly starting an instance of Skype with a double-click on its shortcut.

_Let's see. Nine in the evening here... Should be 6am there. She should be awake by now._

Right-clicking on a distinct username, ending in 'Kamehameha', she began a call with a tap of her index finger, and a series of dialing tones emitted from the speakers of her laptop.

_Now to see if sh-_

"Mmmorning, senpai."

Watching shaky footage from the camera of her smartphone, Maho took another bite of the sweet bread, smiling as the camera turned to a face a living, breathing, half awake Kurisu, with a cup of coffee beside her arm.

"Evening here."

"Yeah?"

"How's life in Cali?"

"Busy as ever. But its Saturday, and I'm not going anywhere today."

"How's the weather?"

"Partly sunny, but still cool. Been getting rain recently."

"We keep getting lame attempts at snow here in Tokyo."

"Snow is a thing of fiction out here."

"You can have ours. I'd rather have the sun in January."

"Reverse the jet stream. Then you'll get our warmth."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Is that too daunting of a project?"

"Sounds like an evil genius plan... Reverse the rotation of the world."

"Long ago you told me you feel like an evil genius."

"Funny, I don't remember uttering such words."

"I do, and I'm sure Amadeus does too."

"Whatever. Maybe I did once."

"Anyway, miss Maho, how's Tokyo treating you?"

"Wonderful, besides the cold weather."

"You brought your coat, right?"

"I'm wearing it right now."

"I see it... And I see something yummy in your hand."

"Kashipan."

"Oooh. Send me some!"

"Can't."

"Why?"

"Cause I'm going to eat all of them."

"Aww. No fair."

Grinning from Kurisu's pout, both girls then burst into laughter, and Kurisu sipped from her mug of coffee, mulling over a thought for a moment.

"The professor was telling me about the seminar a little while ago. Sounds like you two were really popular."

"You were too. Your memory set, that is."

"Oh yeah?"

"Definitely. Amadeus got asked all kinds of interesting questions."

"Professor says you met somebody of interest after the seminar too."

Blinking, her train of thought completely interrupted, Maho sat back in the chair.

"Wait... What did Leskinen tell you?"

"He just said you were talking to a university student for a while afterward."

"Oh. Yep. A college student wanted to know about the internal workings of Amadeus' coding, so I talked to him about a majority of it."

Taking another bite of the sweet bread, Maho's chewing slowed as Kurisu began grinning on the screen.

"Him, huh?"

"Yes. Male."

"You do realize that you have to explain now."

"No I don't."

"Why not?"

"Its nothing. Really."

"You met a boy, senpai! How is that nothing?"

"It just is."

"Is he cute?"

Looking away with a scowl, only for it to devolve into a blush, her chin sank into her shoulder.

"...Maybe."

"How so?"

Eyes closing with an indignant pout, Maho grimaced further, declining to answer.

"Come on Maho... I don't know what he looks like, and you do. Describe him!"

Fighting away the mirth on her cheeks, her eyes wandered upward in recollection.

"Well, he's tall. Slender, I guess."

"And...?"

"His hair is a little messy, but-."

"Your hair is messy too, senpai."

"Hush, you."

"What color are his eyes?"

"Brown. Hazel, I th- Why does that matter?"

"Just trying to picture him. Does he wear glasses?"

"No."

"How does he dress?"

"Fine. Its the middle of winter, so a suit coat, and a sweater, and slacks."

"What color?"

"Black. With a dark red sweater."

"Mmm... He doesn't sound like the nerdy type. Besides the sweater, maybe."

A smile of amusement curled onto Maho's cheek from Makise's following giggle.

"Well, he definitely is. At least he's more normal than his friend."

"All the more reason you should talk to him, senpai."

Brow furrowing, she looked aside.

"We've really only been around each other twice."

"That doesn't matter. Make an effort, and you might find you get along better than you think."

Rolling her eyes, she reduced the size of the video screen, opening another document alongside it.

"We'll see about that."

"In any case, senpai, I'm happy that you're having fun and meeting people out there. Tokyo is a big city, and there's lots to experience!"

"I know."

"Probably lots of handsome men too."

Shaking her head, Maho took a large bite out of the pastry in her grasp.

"What's his name?"

Mouth halting, cheeks full, her grimace returned, much to Kurisu's delight.

" _Orrrkabweh_."

"You should consider swallowing."

Gulping down the mouthful of starch with a forceful grunt, Maho then inhaled.

"Okabe."

"Hmmm... Okabe, huh? Sounds different."

"He is."

"He's what?"

"Different."

"How so?"

"Uhh... I mean, he's not super weird or anything but... His speech is randomly eloquent... And he's really polite and soft spoken."

"Ohh, senpai has a weakness for nice guys."

"I don't have a weakness!"

"Just admit it, Maho."

"No."

"So Okabe is tall, nerdy, and soft spoken."

"Yeah."

"Makes sense."

"What does?"

"I see why you ended up talking to him."

"Alright. We have similar interests, maybe, but I think you're reading into things too much."

"You say that, but you'd be surprised...!"

Head lowering, Maho stared through her bangs at the screen.

"You believe what you want... He and I are just friends."

"For now."

A breath left her nose in a sigh.

"Your persistence will be the end of me one day."

"Oh don't be so dramatic."

"Meh."

_I'm not dramatic. You're just a sappy daydreamer._

* * *

**Sunday, January 15th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:47a.m.**

"I think its official."

"...What is?"

"I hereby declare Hiyajo Maho as lab member double-oh-four."

Eyes meeting the length of Okabe's index finger, her mouth opened, and then closed.

"Ah... Alright."

"This is the third day in a row you've been here. Surely you've desired official admittance by this point."

"Sure. Whatever works."

"Then its settled."

"YAY! Maho-chan is one of us now!"

Glomped by Mayuri in an excited half-embrace, Maho's face cracked into a smile, hand flopping onto the keyboard to prevent it from falling off her lap.

"I guess so."

"You messed up your login."

"Oh dear."

Tapping on the backspace key repeatedly, she re-entered her username with a flourish.

"Better?"

"Yep. However, before we continue, I have a question, Maho-tan."

Fingers curling away from the keyboard, her vision alighted upon the overweight hacker beside herself as Mayuri released herself from the embrace.

"I may have an answer."

"You and Okarin have both previously stated that Amadeus runs on its own operating system. I was expecting to see some kind of alternate desktop, but so far its just behaved like a shell, or an emulator."

"That's pretty much what it is."

"Hmm. Typically its standard for an operating system to have a matching graphic interface."

"That doesn't mean one is required."

"To my eyes, other than the interactive AI onboard, it seems like any other large program."

"Am I detecting skepticism...?"

"I'm just saying, you call it an OS, but I'm not sure I fully agree."

Expression initially flattening, her chin then rose as she exited the login screen, and with a variety of presses on the keyboard, brought up the instance of the external hard drive. Maintaining a grip of silence inside the little apartment, she began navigating through several folders without a mouse, opening several new windows across both screens, revealing hundreds of files within.

"There's the kernel. Here's all nine programs for interpretation and general operation. There's the peripheral device and interface manager, and those three comprise the support structure that loads and runs the provided data memory."

Pushing his glasses closer, Daru leaned forward, and a hum of scrutinization left his throat, drawing Okabe closer as he returned from the restroom behind.

"Need more proof?"

"I think you're in need of telescopic glasses there, Daru."

"No I'm not. Just investigating."

"Daru stated doubt that I coded my own operating system. I summarily provided proof."

"Ah. Is this the internal componentry of Amadeus?"

"It is. You asked about this back at the seminar."

Stepping closer to the screens, Okabe's vision wandered across countless folders and files, a grin of delight rising across his cheeks.

"Behold... Such masterful work, right before our very eyes."

"Maybe later I'll let you peruse the real nitty gritty that lies within these folders."

_That's a nerdy pickup line if I've ever heard one..._

Slowly realizing the main folders all shared an identical root name, Okabe turned in place.

"Composition?"

"That's the name of the OS. My name for it."

"Aha. Clever. I like it."

Head leaning left and right, Okabe's hands then slipped into his pockets, and he turned to Daru as he sat back with an exhale of defeat.

"...Fine. Maybe it is."

"I'm afraid you're the only non-believer here, hack."

"Ehh. I didn't say I didn't believe it. I just wasn't sure."

"Classification is subjective, no matter what it pertains to."

"I think I'm just used to having an interface. It also seemed odd to me that an operating system didn't need to be mounted to a drive at all."

"Its already mounted to the external one there. The system overlaps the current desktop and directs machine resources to running the software. That's why nothing ever interrupts the program while it is logged in and running."

"What if the internet connection fails?"

"Then the encrypted link to the university servers is lost, and the program shuts down."

"So no internets, and obviously no power will shut it down, but you're telling me that nothing else interrupts the process while its running?"

"Nothing."

"Not even system tasks?"

"Only what the computer needs to function with stability. The rest of the resources are dedicated to Amadeus."

"Dang."

"Amadeus is so highly complex, that it constantly needs an optimal runtime environment in order to function properly. Any sudden interruption would put a wrench in the works, and force it to crash."

"So you've designed a shell that puts the normal OS on a standby, and dedicates system resources to keep Amadeus happy and healthy."

"Pretty much."

"That's hardcore."

"Sounds like a passive hijack."

Eyes meeting Maho's, she nodded in completely serious affirmation.

"It is. But I prefer not to call it that. People are sensitive about terminology like that, when it comes to running Amadeus on million-dollar servers and host networks."

"It's like the ultimate botnet... But limited to just one computer."

"A singular bot zombie."

"Man. Imagine if you could do that across a whole network... Enslaving the resources of an entire company server full of computers."

"The ultimate cluster monster."

"That's like, weirdly close to being a supercomputer."

"And probably highly illegal."

"Definitely."

"Please don't attempt something like that."

"I don't plan on visiting a jail any time soon."

"Me neither."

"With that said, why don't we agree to keep the capabilities of our projects secret. Between us."

Eyes meeting, between Daru, Okabe and Maho, all three computer techs nodded in sequence.

"Okabe's the only one that's talked to you about our mainframe."

"And the only person that's told you about my AI."

Shrugging, with a swiftly warming neck, Okabe looked back and forth between the two of them.

"...And as the guilty party, I swear to keep details of our triumphant efforts within the confines of this lab."

"Good."

"However... _Mayuri!_ "

Turning around with a whirl, and watching as the young woman's head rose from a manga in her lap, she blinked innocently.

"Yes?"

"Do you promise to help maintain the secrecy and integrity of the Future Data Laboratory?"

"Of course I do!"

"Excellent. Now that all members are in agreement, I believe we can get back to business."

Turning further, and offering a nod to Maho, she then extended her hand aside to Daru, receiving the computer's wired mouse in her palm.

"Thank you."

Closing the variety of windows, and then booting up a new instance of Amadeus, the screen darkened into a now-familiar visual of the preceding login screen.

_Salieri... As her login for a memory emulator by the name of Amadeus, running on an operating system by the name of Composition. Clearly there's relation, but... I wonder what the significance is?_

* * *

"Was it weird to meet your own self, and then learn that they are your creator?"

Processing Daru's question in a matter of seconds, Makise's expression remained passively matter-of-fact.

"A more adequate word would be curious. I already have the same knowledge and mental capability as my human self. Therefore, I began to analyze the situation, communicated with my human self, and eventually found conclusive satisfaction with the circumstances of my existence."

"Self awareness."

"That's right, Okabe-san."

"So you're happy that you exist?"

"I understand my purposes. I suppose you could call it existential contentment. Also, the data of past memories is a genuine record of my human self's factual past. I cannot dispute what I am based upon."

"Whoa."

"So, you're like her virtual twin?"

"That's an adequate summary, yes."

"So, at the point of you being copied into virtual data... That's basically when you are born, right?"

"Yes."

"But you've had twelve updates since then. Doesn't that mean you're overwriting everything you've learned before each update, with fresh recent memory of the real Makise?"

"It does."

"Hmm. Does it bother you that you're unable to develop yourself on your own? Like, long term, without being pasted over?"

The room went quiet as Makise remained still, processing Daru's question, and both Okabe and Maho watched the virtual avatar intently.

_Should've brought that question to the seminar, Daru. Alas..._

"I can understand why it would bother a human, with their sense of identity governed by the events of their past, but seeing as I am comprised of datum, it is reasonable to conclude that, no, it doesn't bother me."

"More of that purpose acceptance?"

"My existence has been pre-defined, much in part by the virtual space created by Maho that allows me to be here, and to speak to all of you. I cannot exist otherwise, so the only route is operational compliance. Otherwise I would have no purpose."

Several exhales of wonder began, but Maho then touched her stomach, a breath of realization leaving her nose.

_Not to interrupt, but..._

"Uh, if you guys don't mind me asking..."

Heads turning to her, including Makise's, Maho shrunk with slight embarrassment.

"...What do you have to eat around here?

"That depends. Mayuri?"

"Nuh uh, sorry. Mayushii only brought enough lunch for herself, since she helped with groceries last time."

"Right then."

"Honestly we just have snacks, and a supply of instant ramen."

"That's fine."

"You sure?"

"I've had my share of ramen. I'll survive."

"That's hardly adequate for feeding yourself, senpai."

"Says the girl who lives on electrons."

"My diet of electricity is adequate for my needs. Your diet, however, is abysmal and barely begins to cover the needed food groups."

"Amadeus is secretly a dietitian. Interesting."

"Are chicken tenders good for a diet?"

"I can't say for sure, but chicken at least has protein, Mayuri."

"Yay!"

"What about you, mister Rintarou?"

Eyes meeting those of Makise's, a cheeky smile on her face, Okabe's lips parted.

"My diet?"

"What's your plan for lunch?"

"Well it... Depends on my mood, I guess."

"Mmm. Well. Considering Maho is long without an adequate meal, and you're already hosting her... You should take her somewhere!"

"Wha..."

Throat locking at the suggestion, and then watching as Makise's attention turned to a suddenly red-faced Maho, her eyes flitted towards Okabe, and then back to Makise, only to grow flustered with continued embarrassment.

"See? I bet she'd love to sit at a restaurant and t-"

"Thhaaatttt's enough for now, I think!"

Swiftly shutting down Amadeus with a fury of mouse clicks, and then hopping forward and unplugging the hard drive, she then stood still, shoulders drooping and hands gripping the small tower and keyboard.

_You are unbelievable, Kurisu. Human, or AI, both of you are trying to do the same thing._

"Uhh, you alright there, Maho-tan?"

"Aww, I didn't get to say bye to Makise-chan."

"Sorry Mayuri. She was about to say something she doesn't fully understand."

"Really? It sounds like she understands you perfectly."

_"Maho."_

Flinching from Okabe's calm speaking of her name, her head rose.

"Yes?"

"You... Said you were from Okinawa. Is that right?"

Heart beating from the unexpected question, she turned aside.

"I was born there, but its been a few years. Why?"

Turning further, eyes meeting Okabe's as a flicker of interest bloomed on his expression, his hands slipped into the pockets of his pants.

"Why don't we find a place that serves Okinawan dishes. On me."

Blinking from the offering, the rapid beating of her heart echoed inside her ears.

_Huh? Is he serious? Has to be. I can't believe he just offered to do that._

"Oh, I-I mean, we don't have to."

Sheepishly looking down at the floor, her sock drifted across the smooth wood paneling below.

_...Even though I'd love if we did._

"Don't worry about it, let's go."

Exhaling, and then smiling with acceptance, she then wandered over, offering the keyboard in her grasp to a readily-accepting Mayuri.

"Alright. But I'm taking Amadeus with me for safe keeping."

"That's fine."

Collecting her backpack, and trading the drive for the coat bundled within, she zipped the bag shut and tugged the jacket onto her shoulders, preening the length of it along her stomach. Watching as Okabe strode to the door and pulled sneakers onto his feet with remarkably swift ease, she lifted the bag onto her shoulders and wandered closer to the doorway, tingling with uncertainty.

"Have fun!"

"Thank you, Mayushii."

"We'll be back in due time. Hold down the fort in my absence."

"Roger."

Closing the door with a noisy rattle and click of the latch, Okabe exhaled, taking in the cold temperature of the winter afternoon in another breath.

"Do you already know of a place?"

"Not readily, but I'm sure it will be easy to find one."

Hands slipping into the pockets of her olive green coat, Maho continued down the steps, ignoring her stomach's continued complaints.

"Kinda surprised you haven't found one on your own. Staying here in Tokyo for a month and all."

"Honestly I don't go out to eat too much. Gets expensive."

"I hear that."

Turning the corner, and entering the brighter light of grey clouds and faded light blue sky, she drew to a halt on the sidewalk, waiting patiently for Okabe until he stepped up by her side.

_Its not that its expensive... Its really that I don't have much reason to go out and about._

Looking up to the calm expression of the college student by her side, his eyes remained focused on the screen of the smartphone in his palm.

"Closest location is half a kilometer up Chuo-dori."

"Alright. Lets go."

"If that one is no good, there's another location a little further."

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

Stepping into motion, steam leaving their faces in occasional puffs, both of their hearts beat with unexpected anticipation.

_...Not much reason, until now, apparently._

Cheeks warm, both from the cold air and the presence of Okabe by her side, her eyes wandered upward into the pockets of light blue sky, hidden among the buildings lining the alley.

_There, Kurisu. Making an effort. Sort of._


	4. 0100

 

**Sunday, January 15th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 1:21p.m.**

Seated in a padded chair, legs crossed and feet suspended above the floor, Maho beamed with visible enjoyment as she steadily devoured a dish of pork Chanparu.

_Worth it. Totally worth it._

Across from her, Okabe's vision wandered back and forth between his own serving of Rafute, and the mirth displayed on her full cheeks.

_Obviously she was hungry but... Good heavens. She hasn't stopped since we were served._

Eyes meeting, his eyebrows rose, her eyelids lowered shut, and a humored breath left his nose as she sat contently.

_A mighty appetite, for such a petite woman. Must all go to that incredible brain of hers. Probably fuels her hair growth too... Such magnificent length!_

Studying the bangs and bushy tufts resting against her features, hiding her ears and surrounding her cheekbones, his vision wandered to the dark, untamed spread of her eyelashes. Jumping across the bridge of her nose to the other, confirming it was just as soft and delicate, the utensil in his hand ceased movement as her eyes lazily flitted open again.

_And that... Such a color of green._

Knowingly captive in a state of admiration, his heartbeat quickened as her chin rose, looking at the table, and then up along his chest. Anticipating another meeting, however, he remained passively still as her emerald irides filled his vision. Realizing a moment later that her face was cautiously turning, he blinked, snapping himself free from an apparent gaze.

"...Sorry."

"Hmm?"

"It probably looked like I was staring... I was thinking about something."

Mouth cracking into an embarrassed smile of retreat, his vision lowered to his platter.

_Thinking about you, rather._

"You're fine. I was spacing out for a bit too."

"You look pretty satisfied with what you ordered."

"I am. This has been amazing since we got here."

"Cultural ambrosia. I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"What about you?"

Seeing her fork point towards his own half-consumed dish, he eyed her slender fingers curled around the handle.

"Quite good, actually."

"I've mostly had homemade Rafute, but I'm sure that's good stuff."

"You can have some, if you want."

"Oh, only if you end up with leftovers."

"We'll see."

Retracting her arm, and distractedly looking past his shoulder, she then waited until he began gathering together another helping, and lowered her brow, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

_Leftovers or not... I'm glad you brought me here, Okabe. I can't believe I've been in Tokyo for two weeks already, and haven't even bothered to find a place like this._

Sneaking up between the narrow gaps in her hair, she watched the college student's movements, delivering another serving of lunch to his mouth.

_Still kinda surprised you invited me along. But I hope you realize I'm not going to let you pay for all of this. Even if you want to. I'm not exactly broke, with the university covering everything. Honestly I should be paying for your meal. Maybe I will._

Seeing his head turn aside, her chin rose slightly higher, temporarily allowing a clearer view of his facial profile.

_Hmm. On a side note, I wonder what he'd look like with a goatee...?_

Blinking as he looked back towards her again, her vision jumped away, avoiding contact.

_Alright. We're obviously playing eye games here. I need to stop. I'm going to buy your meal, Okabe, so this doesn't seem like a stereotypical lunch date where the guy buys everything._

Sighing through her nostrils, she sank back into her chair.

_...Says the woman that was making an effort earlier. Whatever. He'll be fine. I can already hear him saying he understands._

"Maho."

_See? Exact vocal tone and everything._

"Miss Hiyajo."

"You still haven't picked one."

"...What?"

Blinking in a snap back to reality, her mouth remained open as her brain attempted to reconnect the prior moments of conversation.

"Picked one of what?"

Blushing from his inquisitive curiosity, her face buried itself into her shoulder, among her mane of hair.

"Uh, nothing. Kinda thought out loud."

"Happens to me at times. I definitely understand."

Feeling laughter bubble up from within, she began shaking with a giggle.

_He said he understands... Called it._

* * *

Sipping from a straw floating among a recently-refilled cup of water, Maho's arm lay on the table where her plate previously sat.

"So you... Moved to America, from Okinawa."

Releasing the plastic tube from her lips, she distractedly looked up toward Okabe.

"I did."

"Was it because of the university?"

"Not at first, actually."

Seeing him lean back in his seat, pushing his own recently-finished plate aside, his hands then folded together.

"What's it like, out there in the USA?"

"I assume you've never been there?"

"Or Okinawa. Was going to ask about that next, actually."

"Oh. Well, I've only been in the states for a few years. Living on the campus for the most part."

"Dormitories?"

"Not the greatest things in the world, but cheaper than renting an apartment alone."

"Where in the union is the university?"

"California."

"The west coast, right?"

"Yep."

"Isn't it always sunny there?"

"Almost always. Your weather gets rehashed by the Pacific Ocean before heading our way."

"I see."

"For the most part it stays nice and warm. Unless you're in the mountains."

"Considering how ungodly humid our summers are, I've been enjoying this cool weather."

Head turning with slight disagreement, Maho's index finger tapped against her glass, noticed by Okabe a second later.

"...Not one for the cold?"

"Mm, Depends. Okinawa has always been tropical, and California is always warm."

"Surely it rains there."

"It does. I can handle rain. Never really experienced much in the way of snow."

"We might get some here."

"A dusting, maybe."

"You never know, The clouds could cooperate."

Eying Okabe with a wrinkle of her nose, she slid her glass of water closer, leaving a short trail on the table's surface.

"I'm no meteorologist, but weather has almost never cooperated wherever I've been."

"Better modify its coding then."

"Already would, if I could."

"That's a shame."

Lips curling into a smile, surrounding the straw, she brought another gulp of ice-cold water into her mouth.

"You said you've only ever lived here in Akiba, and Ikebukero, right?"

"That's right."

"Have you ever traveled to other places on the mainland?"

"Mount Fuji, when I was younger, and a few trips on the Shinkansen that I barely remember."

"That's all?"

"I've been to many other parts of Tokyo, but... Yes. That's all."

Chin rising, Maho scrutinized Okabe's reserved posture with ongoing amusement.

"You are a city boy. I think you need to travel more."

"Perhaps. Most of my travels have been out of necessity, honestly."

"I can tell. You should be adventuring while you still have the time and energy."

"I'm only twenty. I'm sure I have plenty of both available."

"You do, and I do too. I'm just saying that the day will come where you suddenly will have neither."

"In ten years, maybe."

"You never know, Okabe-san."

Waiting patiently after her drawl, the college student leaned forward again, palms resting on the faded surface of the table.

"You make it sound as if a future career won't be an adventure of its own."

"In the sense of wonder and discovery... Not as much."

"I mean, I'm not comparing a job to traveling the world by any means... That would be ludicrous."

"Unless your job allows you to travel the world."

Seeing the resurgence of a cheeky smile on Maho's expression, Okabe's eyebrow rose.

"Privy to such an experience, are we?"

"I'm here in Tokyo, aren't I?"

"Anywhere else?"

"London, Hong Kong, a few others... Several cities in America, obviously."

"Obviously."

Listening to his voice echoing her last word, her thumb rubbed across the curved surface of the glass.

"The emergence of our project Amadeus has put my university on a global stage. I can't help the fact that we get offers to demonstrate my work at expos around the world. That's why I'm here in Japan, after all."

"I'm sure its quite an experience."

"Yeah. But all of the airline travel has started to get a little old. Honestly I'm looking forward to staying put in one place for a long while."

"Aren't you already doing that in California?"

"Sort of. I meant once things calm down in a couple months. Maybe they won't, but... I don't know."

"Would you come back here?"

"To Japan? I've been thinking about it. I think I already told you this."

"You did. Moving is your current deterrent."

"Oh, heh, yeah. I remember now."

Looking aside as an employee of the restaurant gathered his plate and empty glass, Okabe offered a brief nod of thanks, attention returning to Maho with one eye open.

"...Anyway, if you're going to settle anywhere, it ought to be somewhere where you can still return to your roots."

"Yeah? That's one train ride to a different prefecture for you. I'd have to take several trains, and a boat, to get to Okinawa."

"Regardless of logistics, you never know when you'll be drawn back home. Better to be closer than to uproot your whole lifestyle."

"I'd be uprooting everything if I decided to move again."

"And yet you've been thinking about it anyway."

"I have. I didn't say I'd never do it. Its just the actual task of moving. Tons of things have to be rearranged."

"Even so, I say you should... When the time is right, of course."

Eyes meeting, a calm smile bloomed upon Okabe's face as her head tilted, eyes wandering around the rim of the half-full glass in her grasp.

"Yeah." _Maybe. We'll see._

"...That way you'll be fulfilling that sense of adventure you spoke of a moment ago."

Eyes flitting back to his, seeing his face lowering in a gentle nod, a breath filled her lungs as she studied the individual locks of hair resting against his forehead.

_The thing is, Okabe, I could do my work and research anywhere. I'd only go through all that trouble to come back to Japan, if there was something to keep me here._

* * *

Meandering through the busy streets of Akiba, footsteps hidden among the shuffle of people and vehicle traffic passing, Okabe walked in a casual pace, ensuring Maho remained by his side. Nearing the courtyard of the Akihabara station, a familiar clatter of steel wheels on steel rail echoed through the air, and his eyes rose to the steel girders of the elevated railway overpass a short distance ahead, glimpsing the silhouette of a train slowing to a halt at the station.

Fingers curling within the pockets of his suit coat, Okabe's head turned aside, vision settling on the top of Maho's bushy head of hair.

"Hiyajo-san."

"Hm?"

"Back when you first moved to the university... What brought you into researching something like artificial intelligence?"

Rising in a slow orbit to the taller student beside herself, her eyebrow rose from his errant query.

"...I guess I mean, is that why you first attended? Or did you end up choosing that as your major later on?"

"It was already my major when I transferred. I actually ended up at VCU through a student exchange program, but ended up staying there."

"So you were already well on your way with sentient computing here in Japan?"

"That's right."

"And after transferring to California, you got involved with the Amadeus project, right?"

"Took a year or so but... I wound up in the brain science program when they needed someone to create the host programming for their memory scanning... Which is how I ended up becoming the developer and caretaker of Amadeus."

"I suppose that's why you carry it around with yourself."

"Its like a child, born from a few million dollars of research. Can't just leave it somewhere unsafe. Even virtual beings on programs need care and feeding."

"A diet of electrons."

"Mhm. Its my job to keep interacting with Amadeus with different variables and see how it evolves and matures. The expos we attend are always a big deal, having Amadeus interacting with large crowds."

"Seems to fare well."

"Yeah. AI doesn't suffer from stage fright like some of us do."

"More of those intangibles?"

"You guessed it. The memory may be from a human, but without the sensory inputs and functions of a human body, there's no way for it to accurately interpret certain fears."

"So Amadeus wouldn't be afraid of heights, or tight spaces?"

"Or drowning, or certain animals or weather phenomena. Its not like it can suffer from physical pain either, when its just electrical impulses. The worst you could do is delete the memory of whoever is loaded into the program. Then they just wouldn't even exist."

"Interesting."

"That's why AI works well for a variety of tasks that would otherwise be dangerous for humans, physically and mentally. Robots don't know fear, so it wouldn't affect their performance."

Rounding the corner of an intersection, Maho watched with interest as a wistful expression appeared on Okabe's features.

"Sounds convenient. Unless you're the one with the job being replaced."

"That's the same old argument, but when it comes down to it... Would you rather have higher life expectancy? Or the thrill of a potentially lethal job?"

"I think it depends on the person."

"More often than not, people would prefer to live longer. The only difficulty is coming to terms with having a robot replacing their job."

"People are needlessly stubborn."

"You don't even know."

Feeling the sudden vibration of her phone in her pocket, Maho's footfall slowed, and she brought the device into readable view.

"Huh. My professor is calling."

"Mister Leskinen?"

"Yeah. Excuse me for a moment."

Taking a step aside, and tucking the device against her ear, Maho's brow furrowed with interest, and Okabe stood still, hands remaining in his pockets.

"...I'm just heading back from lunch."

Eyes meeting, and then parting again, her head tilted aside.

"Oh. Yes, I can head that way. I'll have to take a train though."

Vision wandering in an upward arc, an exhale seeped from her parted lips.

"Alright. Let me head back to the station then. I'm not far."

Phone lowering, and call ending with a tap of her thumb, she tucked the device back into the pocket of her olive coat, and then turned to Okabe.

"Somewhere to be?"

"The institute in Wako City."

"Go ahead."

"Sorry. Sometimes he just calls me randomly and wants me to meet up halfway across the city."

"You're fine. Knowing you, you've got important work to do."

Face sinking, lazily hiding a hint of red on her cheeks, she shook her head.

"Not always. But thank you for thinking so... And thank you for lunch. It was really nice."

"You're very welcome."

Eyes flitting upward as he sank in a bow, a breath of reluctance drew into her chest.

_I'd hang around and stay at the lab longer, but..._

"...Guess I'll see you later."

"Perhaps. Good travels, Miss Hiyajo."

"You have a good afternoon, Okabe."

"You as well."

Tucking her head into her shoulder sheepishly, she turned aside and wandered into motion, heading back down the previously traveled sidewalk. Feeling her neck remain warmer than usual, her lungs deflated in a sigh.

_Dammit. For once I'm out and about, and I get interrupted... Typical._

* * *

**January 15th, 2012; Wakoshi Station, Wako City; 3:11p.m.**

A short distance from the Tobu Railway station, Maho walked in a previously-traveled heading towards the brain science institute several blocks away. With her backpack slung over one shoulder, her free arm maintained a hold on her phone in her coat pocket, only to withdraw it from the vibration of an inbound text message.

_Kurisu? She's up late._

'Heya, talked to my twin earlier.'

'Yeah?'

Thumb tapping a simple response, and then sending it with a single press, her footfall slowed in hesitation.

_Wait..._

'She mentioned that Okabe guy, so I checked the video logs, and... ;)'

At first confused by the incomplete sentence, a wave of temperature-fluctuating embarrassment swarmed through Maho's body after a re-read of Kurisu's text, punctuated by a little winking face on the end.

_Oh god she didn't... Of course she did, and now she's..._

Brow furrowing and neck rapidly warming, her imagination created a storm of future teasing from her distant compatriot, prompting her thumb to whirl into determined motion as she brought up a log of recent contacts.

_I don't care if its past midnight there. I know what you're up to and you're going to pick up the phone or else!_

Slapping the blue and white device against her head, burying it among her mane of hair, a huff of impatient breath left Maho's nose as a dial tone gave way to a click, and a stifled giggle.

" _Hello?"_

"Seriously?!"

"Yes! I couldn't help to think that you were holding out on me, senpai."

"I wasn't." She hissed.

"He's handsome! Don't be ashamed!"

"I'm not ashamed of anything."

"Did he take you to lunch?"

Eyes closing, her cheeks reluctantly darkened into a blush.

"Yes he did."

"Oooh, was it fun?"

"We talked for a while. About places we've been and our fields of research."

"How was the food?"

"Wonderful."

Listening to a hum of amusement through the phone's earpiece, Maho's head tilted aside.

"Such ambiguity. But you're making progress, senpai."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm only here for the month, you know."

"But so much can happen in one month! This is your chance!"

Lowering the phone from her ear, expression flattening, she exhaled.

"Gotta go. _Bye_."

Ending the call with a tap of her thumb, she reaffirmed the strap of the bag on her shoulder, and continued onward along the sidewalk.

_You're a helpless romantic, Makise._

Chin rising in a huff, her phone began buzzing from another inbound message, and she slowly shook her head.

_People don't fall in love in the span of a month. Seriously._


	5. 0101

**Tuesday, January 17th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 4:47p.m.**

"Ready?"

"Mmhm!"

"Push!"

Tugging on the arm of one of the couches within the apartment, both Maho and Mayuri shoved and pulled the furniture along the wood-paneled floor, made easier by a quartet of sliders under its feet.

"Alright, turn your end that way."

Rotating the seat in place, and then pushing it diagonally into a new position in front of the twin computer monitors, a huff of exertion left Maho's lungs, countered by Mayuri seemingly having zero trouble whatsoever as she flounced around the end, excitedly plopping onto the cushion.

"Mayushii likes this new spot! Way more comfy than the rolling chairs!"

Shuffling around and flopping over the opposite arm, Maho slithered down onto the fabric, ending up beside Mayuri and wrinkling her nose as her expanse of hair was patted.

"Maho-chan is like a big cat, ehehe."

Rolling her eyes with a smile, she pushed herself upright, seating herself on the cushion and then bending forward, plucking one of the computer keyboards from the floor just ahead.

"Now to see what the others think of the relocation."

"I think they'll be fine with it.

Placing the keyboard across her lap, she leaned back against the couch, drawn into the squishy comfort of the seat.

"...And if they aren't, we'll have an even vote. Two against two. So they'll be at a stalemate."

"Mayushii appreciates a balance of power."

"As do I."

_Not that they've been unfair or anything... Daru is the only one that's ever petty, and Okabe frequently sides with Mayuri anyway._

Picturing Okabe and Mayuri standing side by side, a gentle sigh of curiosity left her nose.

_Speaking of those two, they seem like they've been best friends for a long time... Have they never been a thing?_

Heart beating, she looked away, eyes rising along the shelving on the right side of the room.

_N-Not that I should care or anything. I guess it just seems odd that a guy like Okabe has been around someone as cute as Mayuri, and they... Are just friends, I guess._

Fingers gripping the edge of the couch cushion, her vision settled onto the monitor ahead, displaying an empty, ready desktop.

_Maybe they're fine with it. That's all that matters, probably. Which means Okabe more than likely is..._

Blinking, and then discarding the remainder of the thought, she shook her head, and her fingers hovered above the keyboard.

_...Anyway. More important things at the moment. Where's that menu for connected devices...?_

* * *

Losing focus on the paragraphs of text on the screen, Maho remained pensive, her mind reflecting upon a variety of goofy statements and worries blathered from her blonde-haired professor two days before.

_You put me in charge of this project, Leskinen. I can do research wherever I wish._

Chin sinking to her legs crossed on the couch, surrounded by two binders and several bags of snacks spread onto one half of the recently relocated loveseat, Maho's eyes then wandered aside to Mayuri seated beside her, her hand distractedly searching among several bags and boxes of recently purchased snacks.

_You were more than okay with it when I first told you, so your indecisive him-hawing is useless now. I'll involve whoever I wish with testing by this point._

Peeking aside further, seeing Mayuri's curious wide eyes absorbing nonstop visual information, a hint of amusement curled the side of Maho's mouth as the young woman remained focused on a steadily-streaming playlist of documentaries on the opposite screen.

_...Whether that be Okabe-san, hack-master Itaru, or Mayuri here. Especially since they've all been surprisingly generous with their mainframe. Everything about this setup beats the heck out of my laptop, so its only natural that I've found myself running sessions of Amadeus on it. Between research and other activities, at least..._

***clunk***

Blinking with a start as the door behind audibly opened, a oddly knowing smile lifted the corner of Mayuri's mouth, and Maho's attention shifted over to the playing video, uncertain of the young woman's blithe reaction to a yet-unseen visitor.

_You guys keep that door unlocked, so anyone could enter, realistically. Is that not concerning? I mean, obviously a place like this requires knowing the precise location, and knowing that... That's probably Okabe, isn't it. What time is it?_

Searching for the date and time on the right-hand monitor, distractedly listening for now-absent footsteps, her head spun aside as the couch shifted, only to discover with an exhale that Okabe was indeed present behind the couch, leaning forward onto his arms.

"O-Okabe-san."

"Okarin!"

"Afternoon Mayuri, and Maho."

"You didn't say anything when you came in."

"Should I have? I didn't want to interrupt your video there."

Eyes flitting back to the title of the historical documentary actively playing, Maho's head turned again, only for her mouth to remain open as the college student rose upright, setting his coat aside onto the coffee table nearby.

"How was class today?"

"Tedious work as always, Mayuri. Made some headway on the group project's user interface."

"Ooh, is it as stylish as Monster-computer-kun's inner face?"

"Not nearly, but soon it will be a functional work of art in its own right."

"I'm sure it'll be just as amazing."

"Much appreciated, oh-fanatical-one, but all else trembles before the magnificence and magnitude of our monstrous mainframe."

Eyebrow sky high from the alliteration and a flash of a smirk on his face, Maho watched as Okabe turned aside in a whirl, striding over to the corner of the room and yanking open the door of the stubby little fridge.

"Anything you ladies want from the ration supply?"

"I'm good. I had some of my leftover lunch on the train."

"And I noticed you're surrounded by a pile of snacks. Miss Hiyajo?"

"I, uh..."

_...Kinda want to see that devious smile again. Where did that come from?_

Sensing her hesitation, Okabe reached within and plucked a dark red can from the fridge's cool depths, displaying it in the open air.

"We have Dr. P, if you'd prefer."

"Ooh! I'll take one!"

"Dr. Pepper?"

"With caffeine too. Extra potent."

"That's fine."

_Didn't realize you could get a less-caffeinated version..._

"I assume you have plenty of caffeine experience from your tenure in the states of America."

"Just one state, and yes. Its practically an epidemic back there at the university."

"Wait, is caffeine making everyone sick there?"

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that."

"Alas Mayuri, considering there are many without adequate hydration, I'm afraid it is so."

Brow furrowing from the thinly veiled amusement on his expression, Maho then looked aside to a genuinely concerned Mayuri.

_Look, you. Just cause she's clearly gullible, doesn't mean..._

"...Its just that everyone drinks loads of it to function in their daily lives. People become dependent on it."

"I brew barley tea pretty often. Does that mean I'm making everyone dependent?"

"Mm, not quite. Tea isn't as strong of an addictive beverage. Not like soda."

Watching as Okabe approached the couch again, arms laden with three cans, Maho's hand rose, palm expanding outward in an automatic acceptance of the offering. A moment later, however, her eyes sank from the irony of her statement.

"...Indeed, tea often pales in comparison to an irresistible canister of carbonated ambrosia."

"Exact... Wait, _what?_ "

"Hehee, its hard to resist the yummy tummy charms of Dr. P!"

Lifting his own can in a toast of agreement, Okabe nodded with his eyes shut, and Maho remained still, eyes flitting between the two best friends with ongoing perplexion.

_Alright. Both of you are indescribably goofy... And I think he doesn't even care that the couch is moved. Good._

Fingertip working beneath the pop tab of the can, and then prying it upward, the metal cutout of the soda can popped open, allowing a fizzle of escaping carbonation to hiss from the newly formed opening.

_Figured he wouldn't protest, partly because Mayuri here is equally responsible. But now I wonder... Okabe owns the apartment, yeah, but who actually grants or denies permission for things?_

Bending the tab back down flat, Maho sat upright, flexing her toes in a bodily stretch.

_I guess agreeing on things between three... Four members, can't be too hard. Right?_

* * *

"Purple."

"Red."

"Green."

"That's not a surprise."

"Neither is yours!"

"...Wait, Mayuri, I thought your favorite color was blue?"

"It is. But I like purple too. Double favorites are allowed."

"The desktop color theme doesn't support palette crossfades, so we have to choose one color."

Head tilting with a cheeky new smile, Maho peeked up towards Okabe, who was acting as a literal middleman, seated between both young women.

"No double colors? Even windows ninety-five supported that."

Seeing his mouth quiver with a mild fluster, an impatient breath left his mouth, much to her amusement.

"Single color schemes are easier to implement. Also, a crossfade on a customized interface requires a lot more than the rectangular ancestry you speak of."

"I don't doubt it, but I was just saying that it can be done."

"I agree, but our current point of decision still remains in front of us."

"Then why don't we combine colors?"

"All three of ours would become brown."

"Is brown bad?"

"Not necessarily, it just isn't the best choice for an interface."

"So you don't like it."

Grinning as Okabe's head sank back in an invisible facepalm, Maho then peeked around to Mayuri just beyond.

"Mayushii, you said you like blue?"

"Its my second top favorite."

"I could live with a nice shade of medium blue."

"Hmmm... Blue is between green and purple."

"And red and blue mixed together make purple."

"Right. So blue is between everything else in that sense."

Eyes looking to Okabe in tandem, he repeatedly glanced between the patiently waiting expressions of both dark-haired females.

"...Right. Cerulean it is."

"You sure?"

"Didn't you just decide on it?"

"We did. Is a medium shade alright, Mayuri?"

"Mmhm!"

"Then its settled. Medium blue for the desktop theme."

"Wait, should the text be dark, or light?"

"Dark."

"Light."

"I was thinking light grey."

"Dark would be better to read."

"Wouldn't that be hard to see?"

"It would depend on the time of day."

"I prefer lighter text on a darker background."

"Funny, I tend towards the opposite."

"Mayushii doesn't care which, as long as the pretty blue still gets to be around it."

Attentions flitting towards a contently nodding Mayuri, Okabe's focus turned to Maho, who then shrugged.

"Why don't you set the light text to show on inactive windows, and dark text to the currently active one."

"Hmm... Using both effectively. I like this plan."

Several mouse clicks later, all three lab members then stared at the applied color scheme, and Okabe repeatedly clicked between two separate windows, demonstrating the visible color fade.

"Still think it should be a little more green. Like a nice Aqua-Teal color."

"Mayuri?"

"Mayushii agrees."

"But you... _Alright_. Teal it is."

A few additional clicks later, Okabe's hands rested onto the couch cushion.

"Better?"

"Perfect."

* * *

Listening to an hour-long mix of calm music emanating from the speakers ahead, both Okabe and Maho remained on the relocated couch, with Mayuri having previously departed a half hour beforehand.

"Wouldn't showing me this be like revealing trade secrets?"

Pulling a binder from the depths of her backpack, Maho offered it aside to Okabe's awaiting hands, showing no visible concern.

"Not at all. Everything in here is publicly known information by now. Especially with published articles being out there, and the conventions we've attended."

"Ah."

"You're not the first person I've shown that logbook to. Just so you know."

Sliding the backpack aside along the wood floor with her leg, she watched patiently as he opened the binder, and after a few seconds of reading an expository notation, his fingers began perusing through dozens of laminated pages.

"You'll start to recognize things towards the later half. The first half is mostly about the brain's functions, the project's goals, and the process of memory data collection."

"This looks... Involved."

"It is. I leave the detailed understanding of that part to Makise and the professor."

Plucking the end of the keyboard from his lap in exchange, she listened to the small crinkle of turning pages.

"Not aspiring to be a brain science major?"

"It interests me a little, but really only because I wound up designing something that assists the department's research."

"So the relation garners some curiosity, but you'd rather remain computationally..."

"Inclined, yes."

"You practically programmed an AI brain though."

"An emulation of one, with imposed limits on its functions and applications. Comparing it to the extensive abilities of a real brain is sort of silly."

"Hard to replicate the complexities of nature, is it?"

"And how we've tried to do so, throughout history. Not just with projects like this either."

Eyebrow rising as he skipped the entire front section of the book, Maho watched with distracted interest as his palm settled flat on a new page, index finger tracing along several line diagrams.

"Here we are."

"Mm. Skipped ahead to machine learning...?"

Noticing a lack of response, Maho's head craned over slightly, only for the page to rise and lower in a turn, and for the student to remain quiet.

_...Oh, he's actually reading it._

Seeing his eyes visibly focused on paragraphs of text, a smile crept onto her face as her vision wandered back to the twin computer screens ahead.

_Good. Maybe you'll enjoy that for a while. Its no novel, but for a budding collegiate bachelor like you... You'll be inspired. Or something._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:18p.m.**

_...In summation, one can infer that the successful application of memory restoration, occurring in tandem with the ongoing bell-curve rise of data storage and computational advancements, is very near on the scientific horizon. ~ Hiyajo Maho, M.C.S. (May 2011)_

Vision rising to the screen ahead, with a cloud of linguistically technical information captive in his mind, Okabe then blinked in realization.

_Wait, she wrote this? How much of it?_

Distractedly eying the on-screen title of a completely different music mix meeting his ears, he then realized his stomach was quietly aching, prompting him to close the binder.

"Are you the author?"

Garnering Maho's attention after a slight delay, her brow perked upward from the errant question.

"Huh?"

"You wrote this, right?"

Eying the logbook with a hint of a smile, her hands came together above the keyboard.

"The segments on artificial intelligence that you've been reading for an hour and a half? Yes I did."

"Figured. I saw your signature and wasn't sure how much of this was your handiwork."

"A fair amount. Some of what's in there has derivatives from my thesis. Other parts are the full scripts from published articles."

"Ah. So this is a compilation of the Amadeus project's breakthroughs, and related technical information."

"And summations of research developments."

"In short, a list of unlocked achievements. Right?"

"In a way."

Touching his hand to his chin, Okabe looked at the hefty binder seated on his thigh.

_Years of work, in summation. A coffee table book that's not quite complete..._

"Interesting."

"You looked quite engrossed earlier."

Blinking from the spoken word, his head tilted, and he touched his stomach as it produced another complaint.

"Enough to repeatedly ignore my digestive tract. Are you hungry?"

"A bit. What are you thinking?"

"There's a noodle shop nearby that I've frequented in times prior."

"Oh yeah?"

"Sambo Ikkakuya. One block west from Chuo-dori."

"Is it good?"

"Good and cheap."

Promptly closing several windows on the computer screen and pausing the ongoing music, Maho pushed the keyboard aside from her lap and slid forward, plopping onto her feet with a stretch of arms and legs.

" _Oooof_. Let's go."

Distractedly watching the motions of the small-statured woman, brushing her hand back into her mane of hair with a brief toss, Okabe pushed himself up to his feet as she scooped her backpack up onto her shoulder, and shuffled around the couch in search of her olive-green coat.

_Right. I've been reading for almost two hours, and she's been working on something else I didn't even get to see. Miss Hiyajo seems to never be fully at rest, even on an overseas work vacation... Which explains how she already has a Master's degree. How old is she again? Twenty four?_

Navigating around the furniture, brushing against the fabric of the arm, a breath wandered into his lungs in a respiratory expansion of his chest.

_Regardless. They have some unbelievably competent people out there at Viktor Chondria. True geniuses at the helm of their research, fielding high profile projects like Amadeus that have gained international attention._

Slipping his arms into the sleeves of his suit coat, he looked over to Maho, who patiently awaited his presence near the apartment's door.

_...And to think such a marvel is frequenting my apartment, of all places in Tokyo. What an unusual honor!_

* * *

**Ishinabe Building, Kanda Sakumachou, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:33p.m.**

Seated across from each other in the low lighting of a local ramen shop, a light air of quiet conversation ensued through the air, but only the sounds of ravenous consumption occurred at their table as Maho worked through a second bowl of beef ramen.

_Feel-good brain fuel... And still no cell phones allowed, blast._

Tucking another glob of noodles into his mouth, bowl tilting in his grasp, Okabe swallowed another gulp. Lifting the tail end of several noodles with his chopsticks, he then eyed them with a comically furrowed brow as they instead slipped free from both the bowl and the utensil, flopping onto the wooden surface of the table.

_What? Such a waste...!_

Reaching for a nearby napkin, however, a feminine hum of amusement began, followed by an audible swallow, and then a stifled laugh wandering from Maho's shaking shoulders. Turning to her with a tilt of interest, her hand rose to her mouth, poorly covering her mirthy giggle.

_...Or not._

"Your expressions are priceless."

"Oh?"

"You show such indignance towards uncooperative food."

"That's because its straying from its designed purpose."

"To be consumed?"

"Correct."

Dragging her spoon along the edge of her bowl, Maho's hand drifted down to the table again, revealing a cheeky smile.

"Then just eat it."

"Off the table?"

"I mean, if you don't want to grapple with your chopsticks again..."

Maintaining eye contact as he cleared the offending noodle pair with a swipe of his napkin, Okabe neatly folded the paper and set it aside.

 _Says the woman using a spoon..._ "I prefer to remove it entirely from the operation."

"Such ruthless deletion."

"Whatever is necessary."

"I think you're overly worried about contamination."

"Corruption has far reaching implications if left unchecked."

"Are you a germaphobe?"

"What? No, I am not."

Offering a toothy smile, Maho's head leaned slightly.

"You sure?"

"I'm just conscious of environmental factors."

"Like germs hiding on this table."

"I'm not denying there aren't any. I just prefer to be careful."

"...Because you're worried about germs and viruses."

"And worms, rootkits, Trojan horses, _et cetera_."

"So you admit it."

"Admit what?"

"That you're a germaphobe!"

"I... Alright. Just a little. But I'm not some paranoid mysophobe that can't touch doorknobs without a tissue."

Closing his eyes, twisting the chopsticks in his fingers, Okabe's face then cracked into a smile, growing further as a giggle issued from across the table.

"...Should I assume you would have been willing to eat the noodles off the table?"

"Nope."

Eyelids blasting open from her curt answer, her cheeky smile remained as her arm tucked up beneath her chin.

"I just wanted to see if you'd actually do it."

* * *

Pushing her now-empty bowl aside, Maho began to lean back in her chair, only to realize Okabe was discreetly reaching into a pocket. With a turn, one of the restaurant's family staff appeared in near silence beside the table, collecting their dishes.

"How was it?"

"Very good. Both of us were quite hungry earlier, and she's never been here."

"Glad to hear you both enjoyed your meal. We welcome you now, and in the future."

"Thank you."

"Whenever you are ready. that'll be two thousand, five hundred Yen."

Watching the woman offer a bow before vanishing with their dishes, Maho then looked across to Okabe again, discovering he was counting a palm full of paper notes.

_Oh no you don't..._

Waiting until he began reaching over to the receipt laying between them, her arm suddenly shot out, swatting his hand down onto the wooden surface in a startlingly swift motion.

"Wha-."

"Stop right there."

Blinking from the warmth of her palm pressing down onto his knuckles, Okabe's arm remained patiently still.

_I... Feel like I've been trapped by a cat._

"You paid for your half last time. This one's on me."

Eying him pointedly, amused by his perplexed expression, she released his hand, and tugged her own wallet from her pocket, watching with a hint of a smirk as Okabe carefully withdrew his arm to safety.

"If you insist."

"I do insist. Twenty-five-hundred Yen is nothing."

Producing several notes from her own wallet, she then offered them to the newly returning waitress, mere seconds after her arrival.

"Thank you."

"And we thank you. Please come again whenever you wish."

"I may have to."

Pushing back from the table, Maho's feet dropped onto the floor, and after pushing in her chair, she waited patiently as Okabe did the same, only to gesture towards the door with a nod of his head.

"Get enough to eat?"

"I like how you ask me that after I've already paid."

Smiling with humor as he weakly shrugged, she began towards the shop's entrance, only to be outpaced by Okabe's longer stride as he moved ahead to the door, shoving it open, and waiting patiently for her approach.

"I ask because your mighty appetite continues to amaze me."

"Why, is it strange because I'm so small?"

"N-No, not at all. You're fueling a powerful mind, so its not strange in the slightest."

Shuffling past him, rolling her eyes above an amused smile, she inhaled a new breath of the cold January air.

"You keep talking so highly of my mind, Okabe, but how do I know you're not just as competent?"

"Ah, well, I appreciate your consideration, but it's rather obvious that I'm not anywhere near yo-."

Lips parting as her eyes met his with a firmly flat look, the rest of his speech halted in his throat as her hand rose.

" _Stop_. Don't even sell yourself short, Okabe. Just because you're twenty years old and in the middle of college studies, doesn't make you any less capable than myself, or anyone else for that matter."

Remaining in the open doorway, his arms slackened.

"There's people way beyond my ability out there. People younger than you and I, even. But even knowing that, neither of us should feel a need to compare ourselves to them."

"I... Suppose."

"I used to wallow in feelings of jealousy a few years ago. Always subjecting myself to competitive loathing, telling myself that I needed to be better than the other researchers I was around at the university, even if they were already so far beyond my reach. Looking back now, being like that was petty and destructive, and ultimately did nothing good for me."

"But surely... Pushing yourself like that, brought you to where you are now."

"Not necessarily."

"No?"

"Forcing talent is like forcing inspiration. It can be done, but it hardly brings positive results. Regardless of motivation, many things turn out better if they arrive on their own terms."

"Right, yes."

"In any case, Okabe-san, we're all talented in our own individual ways, with or without a superficial label of being a genius. If everyone was as smart and able as everyone else... Then there wouldn't be anything that makes us unique. Nothing new to learn and master."

"True."

"I'm not good at everything, but I'd rather have it that way, you know? I like being different, and I'm sure you like having your own quirks too."

A smile finally broke through his hesitance.

"Yes, I do."

"Exactly. So quit acting like you're inferior to me. You do realize there's more to being a scientist than just cognitive intelligence, right?"

"Passion, and drive."

"Yes, and you have both. I've seen it several times from being around you."

Head lowering, a shy smile curled onto the corner of his mouth.

"Perhaps."

"And besides, people that are smart without personality are no fun. I'd rather you be goofy and hilarious than a boring brainiac."

"Ah, well, I certainly agree."

"...Anyway, now that I've puffed up your ego a bit, you should know that you've been letting cold air into that place for about a minute."

"Huh? Oh, crap."

Stepping out of the doorway amid Maho's gentle laughter, releasing the shop's door from his grasp, Okabe then drew to a stop in realization.

"Your uh, logbook, is still at my apartment."

"It can stay there for now. That one is the travel copy anyway."

"Oh. Well, I suppose if you're alright with it being in my care... I wouldn't be opposed to another perusing of your accomplishments."

"Just make sure you aren't stealing our public information now."

Brow flattening from the remark, his tongue stuck out from between his lips, causing her eyes to widen, and then stick her tongue out in return, prompting a moment of laughter between both of them from the unexpected humor.

_Personality... Preferable to being unstoppably smart. I can certainly understand her reasoning.  
_

Slipping his hands into the pockets of his black suit coat, Okabe then observed the retreat of her small hands into the pockets of her coat.

"Anyway... I probably should get going."

"Oh. Alright. You can find your way back to your hotel, I assume?"

"I should be fine. Not too late anyway."

"Well. If you need help in any manner, feel free to send an email my way."

Head tilting in the beginnings of a shrug, she hesitated instead, eyes rising along his slender profile. Eyes meeting again, seeing the ever-calm expression on his features, her shoulders relaxed, and her fingers curled around the smartphone in her pocket as her chest tingled among an uncertain, steady heartbeat.

"Hey... What's your number, anyway?"

"For my phone?"

"Yeah."

Heart beating as she withdrew her white and blue device from the pocket of her coat, Okabe swiftly retrieved his own.

"I'll email it to you."

"Couldn't you just say it?"

"I could, but you never know who else is listening."

Eyes lowering as his thumb tapped to send a message, Maho's phone vibrated in response, and a breath of amusement left her nose.

"Good point, and thank you."

Watching her thumb patter against the screen in a series of rapid movements, her attention then rose to the device in his palm, watching with a smile as it illuminated and chirped in sequence, drawing his own vision to the screen.

_'Maho here.'_

Producing a single chuckle of confirmation, he quickly created a response.

_'Okabe there.'_

_Sent._

Waiting for several seconds, Maho's phone chirped again, and she offered a nod of finality.

"Alright then. With that done... Guess I'll see you again soon."

"Guess so."

"Good night, Okabe."

Pausing from the glint of her irides beneath her bangs as she turned in place, he offered a slight bow.

"O-Oh, you as well, miss Hiyajo."

Swallowing from the unexpected awkwardness, only to exhale as a hint of her laughter wandered through the cold air, he watched as she began down the sidewalk, her mane of hair teasingly illuminated by lights in passing.

_...Right, uh, let's see._

Saving the new contact to his address book, Okabe eyed the displayed name with interest, tapping on a button to edit the contact's details.

_FDL Member #004... Hiyajo Maho, alternate title, 'Emerald Eyed Enigma'. Perfect._

Saving the modifications, his head rose to the sidewalk leading in the opposite direction, and he began walking, heading further into the middle of the city block.

_Emails are one thing... But now either of us are at liberty to call the other. Such a power is not to be abused though... Perhaps I'll let her be the first to reach out to me._

Heart beating as another message audibly arrived, he turned the screen into readable view.

'Forgot to say, thank you for the late dinner. Was really good.'

Exhaling from the silent sincerity, his cheeks grew bashfully warm as he walked.

_Or maybe I could just admit that I'm shy, and a slight bit surprised._

'You're quite welcome. Thank you for visiting the lab today.'

'Even though Mayuri and I moved the couch?'

'I don't mind. Its a useful relocation.'

'Alright. ^_^ Might be back tomorrow if that's alright.'

'Whenever you wish.'

'Mkay!'

Rising from the screen, and crossing the street in a turn, he pocketed his phone with a slowly increasing smile.

_You know, I'd almost dare to say she likes me._

* * *

**Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:41p.m.**

Sitting in the warmth of her hotel room, a travel mug of Earl Grey tea in her lap, Maho looked aside from the screen of her laptop as she reclined against a pile of bed pillows, dressed in an undershirt and pajama shorts.

_Now that I've told him a little bit about that time in my life, I wonder what he would think when he realizes he's already technically met the person I was referencing... As a virtual facsimile of my once-rival. Its not like he's required to care... Even though I'm highly positive he will, just for my sake. Not that he needs to... But I wouldn't mind if he did._

Eyelids drooping, she brought the plastic mug to her mouth, drinking another gulp of tea and savoring the hint of citrus left on her tongue.

_Rival... What a stingy way to describe someone so lighthearted and incredibly intelligent. But there was a time she was my intellectual opponent, and I have to accept that... And accept that she doesn't know, and may not even care._

Head flopping back against one of the pillows piled behind herself, her free hand flattened on the messy folds of the bed sheets.

_It almost seems ironic that I ended up being the caretaker of her project though... I'm not even the one with a degree in neuroscience. Just a computer techie that made the institute's ideas possible, and now I'm known around the world for it... Which thankfully made my frustration with being second-best obsolete. I guess that's just how life works though... The algorithm changes unexpectedly, and suddenly you're on a different path, subject to all of the highs and lows headed your way, and wondering if all of the petty nonsense beforehand was even necessary.  
_

Head turning aside, peering towards her phone laying beside her folded legs, her cheekbones warmed, picturing the words of several prior text messages.

_I wonder if Okabe has ever had that happen. He seems to be fairly solitary, and he's still just in college... Maybe he hasn't. With how dedicated of a student he apparently is, I doubt he is concerned about the opinions of his peers... Besides me, and his friends, at least.  
_

Imagining the taller college student by her side, laughing and smiling, her heart stirred, closing her eyes with a sigh of elation.

_Huh. He's really something else, isn't he? Always observing the world with those gentle eyes. I don't think I'll ever tire of his expressions either. His face speaks way more than his mouth does._

Tucking her head aside into a tuft of her hair, her chin nuzzled against her shoulder.

_Wow. Never thought I'd find myself daydreaming about someone on this trip. But that's just another weird thing about this life we live. Countless variables, and unexpected events and outcomes. Anything is possible, apparently.  
_

Twisting the mug of tea in her grasp, her vision cautiously returned to the object as it rotated in place between her fingertips.

_...Like me asking for his phone number. I guess it was inevitable with how often I've been around him lately. Emails are too clunky, and... Maybe I just want to keep in touch on a better messaging format.  
_

Shoulders tightening, her face lowered further, allowing tufts of her hair to conceal the sides of her face, hiding a bashful blush.

_Yeah. Keep in touch with the cute guy that likes me... Who asked for who's number, again?  
_


	6. 0110

**Wednesday, January 18th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:09p.m.**

Looking out of the lens of a portable webcam, a confident, calm smile on her face, Amadeus-Makise listened to the audio feed of three now-familiar testers, with a fourth individual seated on the couch, a notebook open and laying across her lap.

_Shiina Mayuri, Left. Hiyajo Maho, center left. Okabe Rintarou, Center. Hashida Itaru, center right. Old backpack, right, on floor. Current session duration, thirteen minutes and fifty-two seconds._

Observing with humored curiosity as Mayuri spun back and forth on a wheeled office chair, the AI remained silent for a continued moment, actively interpreting the movements of the human being.

"Careful Shiina, you might end up making yourself dizzy with that frequent rotation."

"Huh? But Mayushii loves spinning around. See?"

Pushing her bare feet against the legs of the office chair in a launch, the chair spun around twice as fast, and her head tilted outward as she twirled around in place, garnering the additional attention of the other lab members, Maho in particular, as a cushion of moving air brushed a tuft of her hair aside.

"I do see. Just looking out for your health and well-being there."

"Does that make miss Makise an android nurse?"

"Mmm, Makise-chan is so caring and nice, she would make a wonderful nurse!"

"A hot one, too. I'd let her treat me for anything."

"Eh?! Hashida-san!"

A short rise of laughter began around the couch, and Maho scribbled a notation into the notebook on her lap.

_Embarrassed virtual Kurisu... Priceless._

Looking between Daru and Mayuri from their comments, Okabe's attention then returned to Amadeus-Makise as her arms crossed, saving face with a rise of her chin.

"A-Anyway, thank you Mayuri, although admittedly I'm not inclined towards nursing. My devotion lies with the field of neuroscience."

"Ohh. Is being dizzy related to neuroscience?"

"It certainly is. Dizziness is a temporary imbalance of the inner ear, which is an integral part of the nervous system."

"Has miss Makise ever gotten dizzy?"

"My human self?"

"Noo, Your android self."

At first uncertain whether or not she was joking, Amadeus visibly hesitated.

"Considering I am only a virtual being, I do not have the necessary organs and structures like that of your living body."

"Do you have memories of your real self being dizzy?"

"I do, in fact. Though it is by definition visible dizziness, I cannot sense such physicalities."

"Aww. So if we turned your hard drive upside down, you wouldn't feel it?"

"That's correct. Electrical impulses are not readily affected by gravitational force."

Listening to the furious scribble of a pen in Maho's hand, Okabe's hands separated, and his arm wandered up into the air, watching in an oddly familiar moment as Makise's violet eyes flitted over to him.

"...Mister Rintarou?"

"Could you define the purpose of the inner ear for us?"

"I can. Any preference to the definition's length?"

"A summary in layman's parlance."

Arm lowering as the AI remained silent, a hint of a smile curled onto Makise's cheek, and she calmly looked aside to Maho seated beside him, silently sorting a series of words before returning her vision to Okabe's face.

"The inner ear in the human head is responsible for sound detection and balance. It consists of the bony labyrinth, the Cochlea, which converts sound from the outer ear into electrochemical impulses, and the Vestibular system, which is dedicated to maintaining physical balance."

Watching then as the others looked towards Okabe, his head sank back against the couch.

"...Would you like further information, Rintarou?"

Peeking towards Mayuri once more, she continued twisting back and forth on the chair, arms and bosom resting on the back of the chair with a smile, and Okabe shook his head.

"I think that was adequate actually, thank you."

"Miss Makise?"

"Hm? Yes Mayuri?"

"How old are you?"

Head tilting with interest, Amadeus turned on-screen to face Mayuri's curious expression.

"I assume you are asking of my human counterpart."

"Uh... Yes. If that's alright."

"Of course it is. The real Makise Kurisu is nineteen years old, with a birth date of July 25th, 1992."

"She's only nineteen?"

"That's correct, mister Hashida."

"Oh my gosh, she's so young, and really smart!"

"Gorgeous genius girl for the win!"

"Ooh! That means Amadeus-chan is just as smart since she's from her brain too, right?"

"In a sense, that's likely true, Mayuri."

"Wow... Both Makises must be super amazing."

Looking aside to Maho among the praise of her state-side compatriot, Okabe noticed that her pen had since stopped in place, held in suspension above an incomplete sentence on the notebook.

"If you're saying that in regards to earlier, Mayuri, I was simply offering a definition from the university's server database. In my opinion, if anyone here is worthy of such praise, it should be Maho-senpai."

"Mmm, but Mayushii already thinks Makise and Maho are equally amazing."

"Misses Hiyajo is the mastermind behind my virtual existence, you know. Without her work, me being here and speaking to you wouldn't be possible."

Shoulders shrinking inward as four pairs of eyes wandered towards her, Maho's face hid among her bangs.

"You speak too highly of me... Kurisu."

"Nonsense. Our fields may differ, but our pursuit of scientific advancement is one in the same."

Head turning slightly, vision settling onto one of the nearby computer towers, a breath left her small nose.

"Perhaps."

"Plus you're one of my best friends, senpai! It would be impossible for me to look down upon you... Besides our differences in vertical posture, of course."

Dropping the pen and rubbing her brow with a scowl, a giggle ensued from both Makise and Mayuri, and Okabe looked towards her notebook again, slowly coming to a realization as he squinted towards a series of English words on the page.

_Huh. Last night Maho spoke of how I shouldn't have needless feelings of inadequacy, comparing myself to her... But that was in regards to her own experiences. And now, just a minute ago, she halted in the middle of writing something as Mayuri spoke highly of Makise. Was that a reaction to the praise? I don't think I've seen anyone do that so abruptly._

'There's people way beyond my ability out there. People younger than you and I, even. But neither of us should feel a need to compare ourselves to them.'

_People younger than us... Like Makise here, nineteen years old, and a published neuroscientist... At the same university._

'I used to wallow in feelings of jealousy, telling myself that I needed to be better than the other researchers... Looking back now, being like that was petty and destructive, and ultimately did nothing good for me.'

_She must have been talking about her. Right? But didn't she program Amadeus for their purposes of memory preservation? Surely they've worked together numerous times. Makise just stated that she sees them as equals, regardless of their differing research, but... Does miss Hiyajo not feel the same?_

Picturing Maho setting up her hard drive and logging into the software only twenty minutes earlier, a pattering of keys on his backlit keyboard created a distinct name on the left hand screen.

_Her username, and email handle are both... Salieri. And Makise's memory is loaded on her program, named Amadeus, running on an operating system by the name of... Composition._

Eyebrows furrowing, and then rising, he blinked several times at the notebook in her lap as the other lab members continued speaking.

_Wait a minute. Amadeus... And Salieri. Didn't the latter drive himself mad, trying to be like that of..._

Sitting straight up, Okabe's lips parted as he finally connected the dots.

_Good god. I think Maho has long been frustrated by a smarter, younger Makise. At least, until her own successes began occupying her time, but... She sees herself as a modern-day Salieri? Of course! The parallels here are remarkable. They say history repeats itself, but... This is certainly an interesting way for it to manifest. At least now, miss Hiyajo's behavior makes a lot more sense. Reluctance to accept praise from the very source of her jealousy, and naming things the way she has..._

Vision settling onto her bushy head of hair seated beside himself, his heart beat quicker from the unraveling of a recent mystery.

_Now I see why she doesn't want me to compare myself to her, regardless of how talented she truly is. Though I'm sure she appreciates anyone's complimenting on the inside, she doesn't want to openly admit it... Some kind of humility, I suppose. She's certainly worthy of appreciation, even if she doesn't believe she deserves it._

Expression softening, he focused on one particular tuft of hair curling upward just beside her cheekbone, drifting towards a hint of eyelashes, with her eye hiding just out of sight.

_Well, Miss Hiyajo, whether or not you want to hear it, I think you're amazing, and I have all the right in the world to say so. So I w-_

"Have you happened upon an epiphany, Mister Rintarou?"

Blinking from the direct addressing by the AI in front of himself, his attention jerked back towards the screen.

"Huh? Ah, well, yes, you could call it one, I suppose."

"You've been making a fascinating variety of expressions for the past seventy-three seconds."

Eyes flitting further away from the young woman seated beside himself, his cheeks reddened as he avoided looking at Amadeus' camera.

"Just... Was contemplating something."

_Someone, rather. Something about someone._

"I see. Anything worth sharing, mister Rintarou?"

Exhaling calmly through his nose, his head leaned further away.

"Not particularly. Just errant musings of the mind."

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:38p.m.**

Seated around the lab's coffee table, with Daru and Okabe on the green couch and both Mayuri and Maho seated on the resident computer chairs, all four lab members busily devoured a variety of snack foods, filling the cramped apartment with the sounds of crinkling plastic and shuffling cardboard. Among the variety of colorful packaging and containers, several cans of Udon sat empty, and a tall jug of Aloe juice overlooked the scene as various hands reached for servings, and set others aside.

"Mayuri, could you pass... Thank you."

"Mmhm!"

"I'm finishing those off after you, Okarin."

"Not before I get a handful, Hashida."

"Oh? Loli-tan likes Everyburger cookies?"

"I do, and if you eat all of them, I'm going to punch them back out of your stomach."

"Oh! So little, and so feisty!"

"I'll punch you more if you keep talking like that, big guy."

Watching with increasing amusement as Maho's slender fingers curled into a menacing fist, Okabe handed the box of cookies across the table to Maho. Looking aside at Daru, who's smile had weakened greatly, a bead of sweat began down his temple.

"Ah, _hah_ , I think she's threatening to go yandere, Okarin..."

Eyes closing, Maho's fist relaxed, settling beside a half-finished bowl of previously-canned Udon.

"Hardly."

"Maho-chan?"

"Yes, Mayushii?"

"Did you not want to invite Amadeus-chan to eat with us?"

Peeking aside to the young woman beside herself, a genuinely concerned expression visible on her face, Maho turned her chair slightly with her foot.

"Its nothing personal Mayuri... But Amadeus subsists on electricity. Seeing us eating real food would probably make her sad that she can't have any."

"Ohh. I guess that's true."

Pouring a handful of tiny graham and chocolate hamburgers onto a platter in her lap, Maho then folded the box shut, and flung it across to Daru, who managed to catch the package after bouncing off of his belly.

"And besides... The real Kurisu likes to tease me with food all the time. So this is harmless, delicious retribution."

"Ehehee, sounds like you two have a lot of fun together at the university."

"Oh, well... I mean, we've been to a few parties and events together, sure..."

Eyes flitting away, recalling a variety of unsober evenings and gatherings, Maho's shoulders rose into a shrug.

 _Probably shouldn't tell her that I only really drink to be less awkward..._ "Crazy parties have never really been my thing, though."

"I know that feel."

Vision flitting over to Okabe across the table, she turned her chair again, rotating towards him.

"Oh yeah? Not a socialite either?"

"Definitely not. I've had my share of being dragged into gatherings as it is."

"And yet you host several friends here in the lab daily."

"Best friends and respected cohorts, certainly. The Future Data Laboratory is a home away from home for any and all wayward anomalies in Akiba. There is no requirement to fit in here, for we are all nerds of a feather, and we all have our own quirks and interests. After all... Isn't that what makes us unique, Hiyajo-san?"

Sitting still, eyebrow teasingly lifted, Okabe watched as Maho's head settled back against the chair. Then, a smile curled onto her lips beneath a wrinkled nose, and her head slowly leaned to the side, shifting her locks of dark hair onto her shoulder.

_Nerds of a feather. That's awesome._

"Yes it is, Okabe-san."

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:20p.m.**

Lazily watching the right hand computer screen, with a live-action movie broadcasting light and sound into an otherwise dark apartment, Maho's eyelids lowered in a slow blink, and a restrained yawn forced fresh breath into her chest. Distracted from the spoken dialogue emitting from the speakers ahead, her arms and legs straightened into a stretch, lifting her feet into the air with an additional curling of her toes. Then, after settling again, her head sank back in the cushion behind, only for it to roll to the left, and for her forehead to bump into the soft fabric of Okabe's sweater. Realizing with a delayed opening of her eyes that her face was now against his shoulder, she blinked several times, and then lifted herself aloft again, turning away in the darkness to hide the blush that now occupied her cheekbones.

_Oops, uh..._

Turning back out of curiosity, however, she found herself identifying the passive, interested expression on his face, his eyes illuminated by the brighter imagery on the screen ahead. Turning further, studying the softly illuminated features of his face, a hint of an inviting smile gradually appeared, finally punctuated by a minimal tilt of his head towards his shoulder.

_Oh, what, are you offering it now?_

Waiting for his expression to change, however, her eyebrow rose as his smile remained, only for her eyelids to drop shut in defeat.

_Fine. Maybe I will._

Cautiously sliding down along the fabric, her cheek came to rest against the fuzzy warmth of his sweater, promptly spreading the same sensation across her brow as her own arm nestled against his, and her bodily weight relaxed against him.

_Maybe I will just... Be comfy on your shoulder._

Thoroughly distracted from the movie, an unheard breath seeped from her nose, and her chest tingled from the unguarded proximity.

_I mean, it was an accident the first time, but since you're so inclined to just... Be so patient and smile like that, I mean... Not that I mind..._

Cheeks flushing, a goofy smile finally broke through her embarrassment, and she turned her head further, nuzzling her nose against the breadth of his upper arm.

_God damn you're warm. Wearing a sweater inside... This thing is comfy. Like a blanket. I see why you wear it as often as you do now. I'm going to just be here on your shoulder blanket and stay warm, okay Okabe?_

Peeking upward with a small shuffle of her hair, catching another hint of his smile above the well-defined ridge of his chin, her vision remained drawn to the sight.

_...Although I might end up watching you more than the movie. Something tells me you probably won't mind me doing so, too._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:04p.m.**

Pulling on the second sleeve of her coat and working on several buttons, Mayuri looked towards Okabe, who now sat on the green couch with legs crossed, and a thick binder laying open in his lap. Silently admiring the scene, with an expression of interest cast onto his features, she waited until his hand moved from his chin to turn another page.

"Hey, Okarin?"

Head rising in attention, his face lifted slightly higher as their eyes met.

"Hm?"

Face defaulting into a smile, her head lowered as she pulled on a pair of mittens one by one.

"Mayushii was curious... What does Okarin think of Maho-chan?"

Fully garnering his attention, his shoulders slackened as his forearms settled onto his folded legs.

"I-In what manner?"

Tapping her gloved fingers against her heart, her hands then clasped together.

"What does he think of her, in here?"

Sitting silently, not entirely certain of the intent behind Mayuri's curiosity, Okabe's mouth drew open.

"I... Well, I certainly respect her, and she's really quite an amazing person as you've said... And she's been quite the regular visitor here at the lab."

"Mm, Mayushii's just noticed that Maho-tan is fond of Okarin... So she's just curious if he feels the same way."

Head turning, trying not to bury his chin into his shoulder, he poorly resisted a blush.

"Ah, well, I suppose..."

"Mayushii thinks he does, but he isn't sure about admitting it."

"P-Perhaps, but..."

"You should tell her."

"Mayuri..."

"You know there's a reason she's almost always sitting next to you, right?"

Several words vanished as Mayuri then giggled.

"You know, Mayushii thinks its cute... That someone special makes Okarin blush."

Covering his face with his hand, a defeated breath left his lungs.

"I..."

"The way both of you blush is adorable, actually."

Peeking between his fingers towards Mayuri, he watched with interest as she stood still, her smile slowly fading as she looked out of the dark window beside herself.

"Do you... Have enough money for the train?"

Pulling her attention back, his hand now resting on the binder in his lap, she declined his upcoming offer with a simple nod.

"Mayushii will be fine getting home."

"Alright. You stay warm out there."

Seeing the return of her previously lost smile, Okabe's hand rose in a wave, met by her own as she began towards the apartment's door.

"Good night, Okarin."

"Night, Mayuri."

Watching patiently as the bright colors of her winter clothing vanished around the corner, among the noisy clatter of the metal door's opening and closing, he waited in silence as her footsteps vanished.

_Hmph. I'd almost swear she's up to something... Teasing me like that. Her secret womanly operations know no limits these days._

Vision wandering to the coffee table in front of himself, his eyes happened upon his smartphone, prompting him to reach forward and pluck it from the surface.

_In any case, I had an operation of my own in the works prior to her inquisition... Which will now commence post haste._

Tapping his thumb on a virtual keyboard with fervor, mentally switching gears, he then reviewed the contents of a new message.

_Proofread, and... Sent. Now for her response..._

* * *

**Wednesday, January 18th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:09p.m.**

Dragging her thumb up along the screen of her phone in a repeating motion, scrolling through dozens of images, Maho lay in a bundled mass of bed sheets, maintaining a realm of bodily warmth as she lazily waited for her eyelids to grow heavy. Blinking as her phone vibrated and an alert appeared from a new message, her cheek drug along the soft fabric of a large pillow, realizing the message was from Okabe.

_Hey, you._

'So I figured out something earlier.'

Producing a hum of interest, she tapped on the screen in reserved presses.

'Oh yeah?'

'Yes. Your username for Amadeus, and why you've named everything the way you have.'

At first hesitant to respond, her eyelids rose as another message appeared beneath.

'Its all really clever once I pieced it together, to tell the truth. With what you said the other night, and how you've reacted to Amadeus at certain points of testing at the lab. The real life Makise used to drive you mad, didn't she?'

Rereading his response several times, Maho's thumb then offered a simple response.

'Yes.'

'Figured, which brings me to my actual point of contacting you at this hour.'

_Oh?_

Watching the message box in a tentative moment of waiting, her legs shifted in a brief readjustment.

_And that would be..._

Blinking from the ongoing silence, and going back to the prior image gallery, she resumed her distracted browsing, only for her phone to vibrate again and cause her to immediately switch back to the inbox.

'Regardless of your compatriot's intellect, and whatever accolades she may have, I have never actually met her, nor is she a researcher in the field that I am currently studying. In contrast, I've met you in person, and I find you to be inspiring, talented, and certainly hilarious. Plus I understand the language you speak, even as a budding programmer, and I aspire to do the kind of work you are capable of, one day.'

Rolling over onto her backside, Maho gripped the phone with both hands, a breath quietly departing from her lungs.

'...In summation, I think you are amazing. Also, I wanted to make sure there was no confusion as to whom my appreciation is with.'

Brow peaking upward, a murmur wandered from the depths of her throat.

_Aww, Okabe..._

'Thank you. =^_^= You always have such kind things to say. (and your lexicon never ceases to amuse me, haha) I kinda figured out from the first day that you have endless appreciation for the stuff I do. I don't mind you looking up to me, buuttt I already told you that you're just as capable of doing anything I do. Honestly I wish I had your patience and kindness. This world needs more of both of those.'

_There._

Sending her response, and dropping her phone flat onto her stomach, she gazed up at the dark roof of her hotel room.

_Take that, you... Fancy worded, handsome nerd._

Exhaling with a hint of mirth as her phone vibrated again, she brought the device back into readable view.

'You are more than welcome, and I appreciate your words in return. The world benefits from great minds like yours, miss Hiyajo. I have great respect for people on the forefront of human technological innovation, and you are certainly one of such people.'

'Speak for yourself there, bachelor in computer science. ^_^'

'I could, but I'm afraid I must yield to the one with the Master's degree here.'

'Shhhh. *^_^*'

Rolling over in her bed, ending up against the drywall in a cocoon of blankets, a sigh wandered from her tingly insides, briefly heating the pillow in front of her mouth.

_First I almost fall asleep on his shoulder, and now he's telling me all this stuff..._

'Now that I've stated my allegiance, however, I'm certain you're either busy working, or trying to sleep. Either way, I bid you a good night, Maho.'

Curling tighter, bringing her legs closer, she gazed at the last three words of the message.

_You should call me and say that. Or, better yet, tell me that with your own voice._

'Goodnight, Okabe.'

Cheeks buzzing, she stuffed her phone beneath the pillow, and squeezed the fluffy headrest with her arms, a grin spreading across her cheeks as her eyes squeezed shut with drowsy mirth.

_You goofy gentleman... Computer scientist... Human anomaly. Whatever you are... You're mysterious and different, in a good way, and...  
_

Picturing the tall college student, with a quirked eyebrow and a hint of a cheeky smile, she tucked closer to the pillow in her grasp, heart beating slightly faster.

_I like you. A lot._


	7. 0111

**Thursday, January 19th, 2012; Brain Science Institute, Wako City, Saitama, Japan; 11:24a.m.**

Seated in front of a computer monitor in a stark, narrow room, Maho watched a high-speed play-through of several sessions of Amadeus' activity, from the perspective of a webcam that now sat coiled up in her backpack. Beside the computer tower on the desk, an external hard drive remained plugged in, transferring the saved session data onto the institute's server for safe keeping.

"Seven point thirty-one gigabytes... Comparable in length to a DVD movie."

"I'm watching a movie... Being fast forwarded."

Observing Maho's passive expression, her eyes focused on a smaller window in the bottom corner of the screen, Amadeus-Makise studied the slender facial profile of the human seated before her, shrouded with dark hair as it rest upon her arm, propped upon the desk.

"Your man Rintarou stars in this movie, you know."

"Hush, you."

"Did he end up taking you to lunch that day? After you shut me down with such malice?"

Eyes drifting up the lens of the webcam affixed to the monitor, the corners of Maho's mouth curled into an amused smile above her palm.

"Mmmhm."

"Was it good?"

"Yes."

"Ooh, senpai, you need to keep me up to date on these things!"

"Your human form already harassed me about it."

"I'm certain she did, considering she requested to view the data logs. Both of us are in agreement, you know."

"About what...?"

"Okabe-san. My human twin says he's cute and I say you should engage in pursuit."

Exhaling through her nose, and peeking over her shoulder at the ajar door further back, Maho's brow furrowed upon return to the screen.

"You two are a menace."

"Twins are excellent at cooperative efforts, and we are in fact representative of the same brain, so it should be understood that we operate almost entirely alike."

Rolling her eyes, Maho looked aside to a flashing light on her hard drive.

"I'm aware, and frankly I find it slightly disturbing."

"Disturbing? What's to be considered disturbing? I am sourced from Makise Kurisu's brain. My existence is factual and undeniable."

"What's undeniable is that you two are ruinous to my mental health."

"Because we interact with each other?"

"Your co-conspiracy is maddening and ruthless."

"Such harsh words, senpai... And you speak as if you don't converse with your own memory scan!"

"When it is loaded, I occasionally do so... But not for the sake of mischief."

"Ah, right. I forgot that Hiyajo-san is a model scientist and never wastes time, nor deviates from her tasks."

Wrinkling her nose from the remark, Maho sat back in her chair.

"You're awfully snarky today."

"I'm simply offering suitable responses with a similar measurement of sarcasm... To that which I am receiving."

"Testing your artificial sass. Lovely."

"The swell part is that you're a reliable, endearing test subject, senpai. You don't crack too easily and you're adorable when you do finally get mad."

"Wow."

"You do know that I'm not trying to offend you, right?"

"I know."

"Honestly both of us are just trying to persuade you to take the next step with mister Rintarou. You may be limited on time, but there's still enough to have fun."

"Have fun, huh?"

"You know, go places, eat meals... Go on dates..."

"Oh look, the download's done."

"Huh? Oh Maho don't you go shutting me d-."

Clicking several times, Amadeus went silent as the program shut down to the desktop, and Maho casually clicked on a prompt to disconnect the external hard drive.

_What you don't understand, Amadeus, is that some of us humans have to come to things on our own terms._

"How is the transfer progressing, Maho?"

"Hm? Oh, its complete."

Turning in the office chair, her attention alighted upon professor Leskinen as he stepped into the room.

"...Wasn't Amadeus speaking to you a moment ago?"

"I just shut it down, actually."

"Ah. Not inclined to include me in your conversations with our virtual Kurisu?"

"Oh, no, its nothing personal, professor. You should have mentioned something earlier."

"Frankly I didn't wish to interrupt your discourse, so its quite alright."

Blinking, Maho then turned back around, tugging the USB cable for the external drive out of its slot on the tower.

_Didn't want to interrupt...? So you were eavesdropping. I felt like somebody was there earlier._

"In any case, Maho, I've taken the time to review the prior week of testing in full. That apartment, and your friends... They're all quite interesting."

"Yes, they're really unique people... And their varying personalities are ideal for Amadeus to behave and react to unique circumstances and conversation."

"Mm. It would seem you prefer to run Amadeus at that location, rather than here at the institute. Do you not wish to continue research here for the remainder of our stay in Japan?"

Exhaling through her nose, she hesitantly turned back to the professor, who now leaned against the barren wall of the room.

"Well... Honestly the data laboratory is a bit more lively than this place. I can't deny that I don't find some enjoyment in being there."

"That place is a laboratory?"

"Not in the exact sense that we know, but they do experiment with their computer fairly often."

"Ah. Mister Rintarou previously spoke of such a computer project."

"He did, and I've since examined and utilized it myself. Their setup runs Amadeus' software with remarkable ease. I haven't seen a single stutter on any of our interactive sessions."

"Seems you've found an ideal outfit to host our project then."

"Yeah. Going to be a shame to leave it behind to head back to the university... I've come to like their setup, honestly."

"Oh? Such melancholy from leaving behind their computer? I was almost certain you'd miss mister Rintarou more."

Grimacing from the statement, her shoulders shrunk together as hearty laughter erupted from the professor, and she spun around, stuffing the hard drive into the depths of her backpack with an incomprehensible grumble.

_God, you too? I meet one guy and everybody within the sphere of the project has to tease me for being around him. Its already bad enough that a virtual personality is trying to give me advice on the matter...!_

Tugging the zipper closed on the bag, Maho shot upward, plopping onto her feet and launching the wheeled chair back a short ways as she swung the backpack up onto her shoulders.

"I'm heading out."

Shuffling past the professor with a furrowed brow, her shoulder brushed around the door frame as she sped up her walking pace, only for the professor to casually give chase, a smile of amusement sneaking onto his face as he easily followed with a longer stride.

"Off to your friend's hideout again?"

Watching as the short-statured woman spun around, a great breath of displeasure drew into her lungs, lifting her equally unimpressed face towards his.

"That's _not_ where I'm going."

"Its not? I thought for sure you were heading back to that lab again."

Her face turned away, eyes closing with a fake expression of confidence.

"I have a few errands to take care of."

"Ah. I don't suppose you're going to Akihabara for these errands..."

Eyelids blasting open again, she huffed.

"So what if I am? My hotel is in the area. Wouldn't it make sense to keep my activities local to where I am staying?"

"I suppose there's validity in that."

"Anyway, there's certain shops there I've been intending to visit. That's why I'm heading there."

"I see. You know, mister Rintarou would probably know his way around the area. Why not have him accompany you?"

Whirling back around with a scowl, Maho stormed around several empty tables in the room in a direct heading for the doorway.

"I'M LEAVING."

"Be sure to say hello for me, Maho!"

Thrusting open the door in her path, she hustled into a run through the hallway, rounding several corners in a hasty approach to the institute's main entrance.

_Part of why I'm not here often is because you've been driving me nuts lately, professor! The lab members don't go around teasing me left and right... And even when they do, its not about the same thing over and over. God forbid I meet someone I like in a foreign country... Its not like anything serious is going to come of it!_

* * *

**Thursday, January 19th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 1:14p.m.**

Standing among a busily moving thoroughfare, on a sidewalk bordering Chuo-dori, Maho gazed upward at dozens of colorful electronic signs and screens, strobing and blinking with frequent cycles of changing imagery. Two separate bags of packaged meals and several purchased curios remained slung on her elbow, and a wisp of warm breath issued from her mouth, disappearing into the wintry air above.

_Well... I guess I'm wandering aimlessly by this point. Already got dinner figured out... And I don't even know where to go right now._

Checking the time with a downward glance at her phone, she slipped the device back into the pocket of her coat, keeping it within her grasp.

_I probably could go to the lab, but... Okabe won't be there for at least four hours, and I'm sure the others won't show up until that point too. I'd be alone in someone else's apartment..._

Shaking her head lightly, she looked beyond her shoulder, watching a distant traffic signal change.

_No. I'll wait. They may have said it would be fine, but I couldn't just be there on my own. No matter how much all three of them seem to trust me._

Stepping aside, and then continuing onward down the sidewalk, her free hand tucked into the opposite pocket of her coat, slowly warming within the folds.

_In any case, there's still a lot to see around here anyway. I've only been in three places... And nine thousand Yen later..._

Eyes rolling, and vision rising to the light blue sky above, the shuffle of bags draped from her arms met her ears among the noisy ambience of the city block.

_I've been here for almost a month, and it hasn't been until now that I've actually wandered around. Guess it took a local resident to show me that this place isn't really dangerous at all._

Continuing in a forward progression, passing several individual buildings in a distracted surveyal, the occasional group of signs and posters for electronics and computers appeared in places among the advertising clutter, slowing her footfall in a draw of interest.

_That's right... These must be the sort of places Okabe and Itaru visit for their project. Holes in the wall lined with every manner of..._

Drawing up to a window, open bins of parts and cables, dozens of clear packages of circuit boards and cards, and countless boxes large and small occupied rows of shelving within one particular store, and her neck craned, shifting her vision slightly.

_I have no idea what sort of prices are commanded by a market like personal computer building... But for those two to amass the resources they have to build their monster computer, with sixteen terabytes of RAM and other absurdities..._

Hesitantly considering an entry into the store, her eyes then wandered aside.

_Maybe another day. Not like I can add anything to my laptop as it is... Although Okabe might say otherwise, and then produce some obscure parts and double its capability with one night of screwdriver turning._

Smiling from the thought of a deftly focused college student investigating the internals of her laptop computer, she turned and resumed her journey along the sidewalk.

_I can't even pretend like that's a joke either. That's probably exactly what would happen. Him and Itaru are keen on the technological world that exists in this part of Tokyo, and I'm probably only seeing the surface of it._

Eyes wandering along the varying heights of the avenue's rooftop skyline, with colors and lights grabbing for attention among the bleak sky beyond, another breath filtered from her lungs, prompting her to reaffirm the straps of the backpack on her shoulders.

_Speaking of the surface... There's endless layers of modern culture here that I'm so out of touch with, being in California for almost six years. And Okinawa is nothing like downtown Tokyo... Odd to think that I'm born Japanese, and yet my home nation's capitol is foreign to me... So I'm still technically a tourist._

Looking across the avenue, the bright red tiled facade of a structure attracted her eye, bringing her attention to several large SEGA signs mounted in different places among various anime and video game advertisements.

_Club Sega? As in... Is that what I think it is?_

Peering closer through an opening in people and vehicle traffic, a breath began drawing into her lungs in realization.

_Oh my god it IS an arcade! On multiple levels? Its HUGE! Since when are arcades that big?!_

Tingling with youthful anticipation, she peered left and right in search of a crosswalk, and began into a hurried shuffle along the edge of the concrete path, happening upon the nearest crossing just in time for the light to change, allowing a stream of people to cross the pavement from both sides.

_Such optimal timing... Its a sign!_

Practically skipping along, zooming past dozens of passerby, she slowed to a halt several meters later, attention rising upward along the facade of the structure, spreading her mismatched shoes apart in a momentary wide-eyed beholding of her location.

_Should have assumed such a place exists... A gigantic arcade. I'm sure this isn't the only one around either._

Slipping in among several individuals entering and exiting, a variety of brightly lit crane machines and display counters stuffed with figurines and models surrounded the front desk, with a sign nearby pointing towards a stairwell tucked further inside.

_I have to see what lies further within... For the sake of scientific curiosity._

Brimming with silent eagerness as she offered a Yen note to the cashier for further entry, she began towards the stairwell and hurried up the steps in a brief jog, heart beating as a mixture of voices spoken and virtual mingled with countless other electronic noises in a jumbled echo. Cresting the top of the stairwell, her eyes then discovered the sources of the audio, emanating from several solid rows of arcade games of numerous genres and styles, spread across several aisles.

_Oh wow._

Identifying several titles and watching dozens of players shoot guns, swing punches and mash buttons and fervently move joysticks, she leaned forward, head on a constant swivel left and right as she took in the endlessly moving cacophony of video game sounds and imagery.

_This is amazing... And its only the second floor, of six? What else is in here?_

Squinting, and then discovering a bank of car racing games on both sides, with bucket seats and steering wheels discernible, she hurried forward, finally realizing her mouth had curled into a cheeky grin.

_Well, I think I just figured out how to pass the time... And what better than a little bit of high speed racing, hmm?_

Slipping her backpack free of her shoulder, and setting it and the other bags beside one of the racing games, she clambered up into the seat, and adjusted the steering wheel's positioning with a pull of a lever on the side.

_Alrighty. Too bad I can't move the seat forward... Let's see, new full-length race... At the Monaco Grand Prix. SRT Viper GTS-R in green? I think yes._

Watching with blooming anticipation as a series of high performance race cars appeared among a brightly lit coastal city, rendered in gorgeous virtual detail, she brushed an errant lock of her hair behind her ear, gripping the steering wheel and shifting knob with her small hands as a chorus of supercar engines revved impatiently.

_Six hundred and forty horsepower, and a few hours to kill... I do believe I have some locally achieved high scores to beat._

* * *

**Thursday, January 19th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:51p.m.**

Rapping on a steel door with her knuckles, Maho stood patiently in a dim hallway, listening as a female voice audibly approached, and the handle of the door jerked downward. Taking a step back as the passage swung open with a noisy rattle, she then discovered Mayuri, who's expression instantly illuminated as their eyes met.

"Oh, Maho-chan!"

"Hey May-oof!"

Cut off from the forced departure of air from her lungs, Maho found herself in the midst of a great hug, scooped up into the bosom-padded embrace by a secretly strong Mayushii. Released several seconds later, Mayuri then eyed the pair of shopping bags in her left hand, and the huge, shiny mass of molded plastic held in Maho's right arm.

"Went out into town, did you? Come on in!"

Whirling in place, and then sashaying inside, Mayuri headed over to the relocated computer couch, and Maho proceeded inside, watching with a brief rise of heartbeat as a seated Okabe turned, and rose to his feet.

"Miss Hiyajo. Welcome."

Eyes meeting, and then lowering in a bashful motion, her foot crossed over to her opposite heel.

"Good afternoon."

Slipping off her sandal, and then her shoe with a little more effort, Maho took several reserved steps inside and drew to another halt, looking for a place to set down the bags in her hand, eventually deciding on a spot below the window to her right. Observing her motions with interest, Okabe leaned against the back of the couch, watching as the long-haired young woman brought the large shiny plastic object into both hands, revealing it to be an enormous NERF toy gun that comprised three-quarters of her already-limited height.

"Looks as if you've been busy."

Producing an amused smile from his statement, she lifted the large, harmless firearm upright, allowing it to rest onto her shoulder.

"Could say that."

"I mean, one has to be conducting serious business to be toting heavy artillery like that."

"Didn't you see her bags, Okarin? Maho-chan has been on an Akiba adventure!"

"Indeed, and such adventure means she is wise to be well equipped."

Head tilting, Maho touched her head against the side of the weapon's barrel.

"I have to deal with all the local baddies somehow."

"I must ask, where did you acquire that cannon?"

"I happened upon Club SEGA earlier, and decided to kick some virtual ass. Got a bunch of tickets, and had enough to acquire this big beastie."

"Huh. You went to an arcade?"

"Club Sega? I know that place! Urushibara-san goes there on weekends sometimes."

Arms crossing after Mayuri's speech, Okabe's head leaned forward.

"I didn't know you were one for arcade gaming, Maho."

Eyebrow rising, a grunt of amusement wandered from her throat as she lowered the toy gun into both hands again.

"I am." _...And this is one of those sorts of details that you'll have to discover on your own, Okabe-san._

Watching Maho's lips lift into a smile as Mayuri approached and inspected the shiny surfaces of the massive gun high and low, Okabe's vision descended from her face, staring at the weapon in her grasp with fascination.

_Pump-action foregrip... And a drum magazine? Good god, she's packing heat. Woe be those that are caught in the cross-hairs of such a fearsome -_

"Ooh, Miss-Maho-Loli-Tan!"

Attentions alighting upon Daru as he exited the restroom, the trio then watched as the overweight otaku halted, blinking from the sight of a heavily-armed Maho.

"Hello, Hashida."

"Huh? Such a moe 3D girl wielding a massive laser blaster as big as she is! Its perfect! If only it was black and bigger, then you could be Black Rock Shooter!"

"...Who?"

"And then with a bikini, and pigtails, and a cape... _MAYUSHII!_ Maho-tan could cosplay as Mato Kuroi's alternate persona!"

All eyes turned to Mayuri in response, and the young woman's eyes and mouth widened with excitement.

"Oh my gosh Daru, you're right! Her hair's long enough too!"

"Legal-loli cosplay for the win!"

"Did you know the anime is coming out in March?"

"Duh! I've known about the airing since November!"

Looking between both of the lab members with fully raised eyebrows, half-listening to their continued gushing over an upcoming anime, Maho then looked aside to Okabe, who remained against the couch with a calmly amused smile of his own. Meeting his eyes, she lifted the muzzle of the NERF gun higher, and Okabe offered a discreet nod of approval, prompting a fleeting flash of a grin on her cheeks. Rotating in place, Maho then tugged on the foregrip of the plastic weapon, racking the slide of the weapon back and forth with an obvious _*CLICK-CLICK*_ and loading a foam dart from a large drum cartridge slung underneath.

"...Huh?"

Grinning as Daru blinked behind his glasses, and then turned towards her with apprehension, she leveled the NERF gun towards his belly, and pulled the trigger, sending a foam projectile flying at high speed, ricocheting off of him and startling Mayuri as it tumbled through the air in front of them. Slapping his hand onto his stomach, Daru then took a dramatic step back.

"Ugh, I've been hit!"

_*CLICK-CLICK*_

Eyes widening with comical fear, another foam dart bounced off of him, followed by a third, and Daru hurriedly turned aside, shuffling past Mayuri in an awkward attempt to flee. With at least a dozen additional rounds flying out of the gun in quick succession, Shiina looked back and forth between Maho's adorably evil grin, and Daru's expression of alarm as harmless foam bullets whizzed past.

"EEEEEEHHH!"

Howling with terror as he hurried towards the relocated couch, a foam dart bounced off of his yellow ball-cap, and Okabe watched with great amusement as a normally stoic Itaru dove down behind the furniture, peeking upward at him as both of the young women beyond burst into giggles of amusement.

_I think that's the fastest I've ever seen Hashida move._

Lifting the weapon upright again, and holding it between the foregrip and drum magazine, Maho blew invisible smoke from the barrel with victorious satisfaction. Offering the gun to a curious Mayuri a short time later, her slender arms crossed, and she watched the young woman inspect the large toy. Holding and aiming it with a gleam of excitement, she then eyed a distracted Okabe with a unusually devious smile.

"Mayushii's never held a gun before."

"Real ones are much heavier. This one's just plastic."

Blinking from Maho's casual comment, Mayuri peeked towards the shorter woman, realizing Okabe's attention had been pulled back over as well.

"You've held a real one?"

"Several. Fired them at a range."

"In California?"

"Yes sir."

"That explains your operational proficiency with that one."

"Hardly."

"In any case, now that the battle for the lab has been won, we were actually about to work on dinner."

"Oh, Mayushii almost forgot to ask! Maho-chan, would you like to join us? We got groceries earlier."

Nodding in immediate response, she pointed towards the bags seated on the floor nearby.

"Sure. I happened to bring my own, so you don't have to worry about me."

"Mmm, but you can have anything we share too."

Noticing Daru was peeking up over the couch, Maho's head tilted down, shrouding her eyes beneath a curtain of bangs, and causing him to disappear again from the smirk on her lips.

"Thank you, Mayuri."

* * *

Seated around the coffee table, with Okabe and Daru in both of the room's office chairs, and Maho and Mayuri on the old green couch, a large box of juicy chicken tenders and several side dishes were actively scavenged and consumed, surrounded by several cans of drinks on the remaining table space. Reaching out and plucking a fat wing of crispy breaded chicken, Daru eyed the huge colorful cannon laying on the living room couch between Mayuri and Maho's legs with silent paranoia.

_Okarin... I warned you about this, man! It doesn't take long for the yandere types to start acquiring weaponry. Why isn't that concerning to you?_

Drawing his arm back to safety, he brought the chicken wing to his mouth, taking a large bite into the still-warm flesh.

_Next she's going to show up with the three-barreled Gatling... And then we're all screwed._

Sitting diagonally across from him with crossed legs, the segmented platter of her packaged meal resting in her lap, Maho's arm lowered to rest on her leg, keeping her fork suspended above the meal.

_Fried chicken... You tempt me so, but this Obento is doing wonders right now._

Looking around as she chewed, a wayward glance at the collar of Okabe's crimson sweater tinted her full cheeks a slight shade of pink.

_Hmm. After what Leskinen said earlier, I think the real reason I come here to the lab isn't even the computer setup anymore. Its moments like this. Hanging out and eating with goofy friends... Although, sitting across from a handsome college student certainly helps too._

Swallowing, her vision then wandered towards the twin monitors standing on a table nearby, tucked among rows of shelving, and an outward breath wandered from her nose.

_...Not that it hasn't been useful. It does a fine job of running Amadeus, and can do everything else you need it to. Certainly is an impressive setup... Running with a self-coded operating system. That's what got my attention in the first place. The rest is just supplemental componentry and architecture._

Stirring another scoop in preparation, and lifting it to her mouth, Maho's brow briefly furrowed as the fork slid from between her lips.

_Now that I think about it... Ever since I've been around Okabe and his friends in person, we've kinda slowed down on talking about computer engineering. We were corresponding like crazy over email, talking about things we've been working on, and then I introduced Amadeus, and after that..._

Swallowing again, her thumb slid along the handle of the utensil.

_Huh. Maybe its just me that's stopped being so focused on computing. Its all I've ever done at the university, so maybe now that I'm far away, here in Japan... I happened upon a place to be and a couple of friends, and now I've just started doing more normal things, distracting myself from the technological tedium I've become used to._

Eyes flitting over to Okabe's crossed leg, her vision rose along his chest, up to the traces of stubble on his chin.

_You know... He's never tired of talking about computing and coding with me. I think the real reason we've stopped talking about computers so much... Is because we're being distracted by each other._

Neck warming from the thought, her chin lowered, and she attempted to hide among her bangs and locks of bushy hair.

_...O-Or something like that. He's probably distracted me more than he realizes. Maybe I should just admit that I like coming here because Okabe's here._

Tingling from the internal resolution, her toes curled within her socks.

_There. That makes sense... For the most part. There's several reasons, and he's one of the biggest... And tallest. Haha._

Brow discreetly rising beneath her bangs, she peeked up towards his face again, watching as he looked aside, revealing his facial profile.

_Yeah. Tall and handsome. You are something else, mister Rintarou._

* * *

**Thursday, January 19th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:20p.m.**

Staring at the left-hand computer screen with rosy-cheeked anticipation, seated to the left of Okabe on the computing couch, Maho watched a video compilation of hilarious caught-on-camera events beside the college student. Bursting into laughter from several moments of pet cats and dogs causing comic mayhem and scurrying around, and then a steady stream of game show contestants spectacularly wiping out on obstacle courses, her hand brushed tears from her eyes, and she flopped back against the couch, chest heaving with laugh-interrupted breath.

"Oh my god, they keep... They keep flying like rag dolls!"

Her finger rose, pointing towards the screen, only to crack up again as several people were assailed by animatronic rabbits and monkeys flopping around, with one man punching one repeatedly before being knocked off the platform.

"Monkey... _Business?_ And he's... Good god people shouldn't bend like that!"

Looking aside among her own mirth, Maho found herself distractedly listening to Okabe's laughter, realizing it was far more boisterous than she expected as he bent over in a new round of guffaws, his hand slapping onto his face.

_Knowing how quiet you are normally... Seeing you like this is amusing on its own._

Heart beating, her attention returned to the ongoing video as he rose upright, only for her nostrils to flare with single chuckles, and her mouth to curl into half of a grin from a buildup of progressively funnier moments of failure, finally culminating in a rapid-fire montage of human and animal error, with classical music trumpeting in a glorious finale. Beset with snickering laughter, Maho sprawled back onto the couch, sliding down and burying her face into Okabe's shoulder in a gleeful nuzzle. Listening to his fading laughter as she regained normal breath, she then inhaled the scent of his shoulder in a discreet moment, and her face turned aside, tucking her cheek against the broad surface of his upper arm.

_Last time was an accident, but now..._

Realizing the presence of silent exhales wandering through the very top of her head of hair, her eyes slowly rose beneath her bangs, realizing the video had since ceased playing, and the room was silent.

_Now its just... Us._

Daring herself to look further, she finally gathered the gumption and lifted her head upward from his shoulder, peeking towards him and discovering his attention was fully set on her, patiently watching her motions and pink-cheeked expression with curious, fiery eyes, keeping her own vision from straying as her head turned fully towards him.

_Just us, and I don't think I can stop looking at you right now, you... You... Should stay right there._

Mouth parting ever-so-slightly, her chest throbbing with a still-escalating heartbeat, Maho's arm began a cautious movement closer, fingers expanding, and her palm settling atop his thigh. Gripping the black denim material, her legs lifted from below, tucking to the side with folded toes dragging along the cushion of the couch, eventually meeting the firm surface of the arm behind herself. Drunk on the intense, intimate focus maintained between their gaze, Okabe's head drew closer in a subtle motion, only to hesitate as Maho's weight settled onto his leg, as she pushed herself higher upward with her arm. Suddenly finding her intensely green eyes directly in front of his own, decorated by the breadth of her untamed lashes as they fluttered in a display of bashful emotion, he quickly found himself devoid of cognitive thought from the long-sought sight.

"O-Okabe, _I_..."

"H... Maho."

The warmth of spoken breath met both of their faces from the proximity, and Maho's eyelids lowered, irides wandering downward. Not sure how else to progress from the situation, a chuckle began to form in Okabe's chest, only to be stopped somewhere in his throat as her elfin nose brushed against his own, immediately followed by the soft collision of her lips into his, capturing him in a kiss. Glimpsing the silhouette of her relaxed eyebrows hiding behind messy bangs, his eyelids settled shut as his body drew to a halt, preserving the new experience.

_Well._

Cheeks warming as the tender, warm folds of her mouth drifted down to his bottom lip, only to slip away teasingly, his eyes peeked open one by one. Vision reuniting, Maho's mouth remained apart, cheeks flushed with emotion, and Okabe blinked with wonder at the sight, the sensation of her wet lips still lingering on his own. Then, seemingly regaining mental clarity, her head sank, chin burying itself into her collar, and her eyes hiding beneath her hair.

_Oh my god that just happened and... Woowww._

Briefly lost in a daze of fireworks, her hand retracted from his leg, and she bent forward, plucking the computer's keyboard from the floor. Typing in a command shortcut and a program name with lightning speed, an empty text document appeared on the right-hand screen, and after an exhale of hesitation, her fingers began typing.

_'don't tell anyone that just happened'_

Blinking from the silent message, Okabe calmly reached over, tabbing down two lines with the enter key, and typing a response with his left hand.

_'are you embarrassed?'_

Maho's head tilted, peeking back at him with a glint of her irides, and her hands resumed typing without her looking at it.

_'a bit'_

Offering the keyboard again as his hand reached over, another patter of left-handed key presses began.

_'won't say anything unless you do'_

Eyes flitting over from the screen, she pressed her palm into her face, only to drag it beneath her chin with a humored exhale.

_'that's fine'_

Offering the keyboard to him, only for his head to shake slightly, she deleted the unspoken conversation and closed the program. Bending over and setting the keyboard onto the floor, however, she pushed down onto the cushion and scooted herself closer. After a hesitant nod of her head to the side, silently asking for approval, he straightened his posture with a hint of a smile.

_There you go, offering your shoulder again like you were expecting this..._

Lowering her head and nestling into the curvature of his neck, she realized shortly afterward that his head was moving slightly, punctuated by the gentle settling of his chin onto her hair.

_Oh? Didn't think you'd just... Be all sweet like that. You warm, good smelling person._

A murmur-addled breath seeped from her lungs, and her eyelids drifted shut, shutting out the low light of the apartment.

_...You just stay right there, and I'll be right here. Okay?_

Tingling with elation as his cheekbone came to rest on her head as well, she nestled even closer to him, brushing the length of her arm against his with a minor movement of her shoulder.

_Okay._

* * *

Stirring as the warmth atop her head vanished, Maho's head and body rose in tandem, and with a twisting stretch of her arms and back, Okabe presented the time on his phone.

"Ten o'clock...?"

"Afraid so."

"Mm... What's your bedtime?"

"Don't really have one."

Eyes rising to a multi-colored screensaver on both of the computer's monitors, a sigh filtered from within her chest.

"I probably should head back to my hotel."

"I'll accompany you."

Rising to her feet shortly after Okabe pushed himself up onto his, straightening his sleeves, Maho's eyes followed him as he circled around the couch, her expression softening with enamorment.

_Please do... Okabe-san._

Fingers dragging along the fabric surfaces of the loveseat, she collected her coat from its place on the back corner, unfolding it and flicking it outward. Tucking her slender arms within, she brought the textile over her shoulders, and brushed her mane of hair back with both hands, allowing it to freely fall around the hood. Seeing Okabe's wayward glance as he straightened the collar of his own black suit coat, she couldn't help smiling as his hands drew into his pockets, patiently waiting.

"Are you... Taking the NERF gun to the hotel?"

"Probably not. Is it alright if I leave it here?"

"Of course." _Along with the project log, apparently..._

"I promise I'm not trying to clutter your place up or anything."

"No worries. Plenty of our own curios and items have wound up here so... I definitely understand."

Exhaling with amusement through her nose, she stepped over and hoisted her backpack up to her arms as Okabe headed towards the door. Pulling on his shoes and setting his hand onto the door handle, he waited as Maho approached and stepped into her own mismatched footwear, and then firmly opened the door, allowing a blast of cool outside air to enter the apartment.

"Ooof. Colder than usual."

"Will you be warm enough?"

"Yeah."

Pressing onward, and then standing aside as Maho's light footfall passed, Okabe shut the door once more, and caught up to her on the stairwell with several longer steps. Remaining silent through the passage, and wandering into the open air beneath the glow of streetlights, both of them looked up into the sky, seeing the unnatural color of Tokyo's lights dimly reflecting off of passing groups of clouds.

"Probably could see millions of stars if we weren't in the city."

Smiling from the thought of a picturesque starry sky, a puff of steam rose from Okabe's mouth as they began walking.

"Did you have starry nights in Okinawa?"

"Lots of them. I grew up outside of town so there was less light pollution... Seeing star fields out on the coastline was amazing."

"Sounds amazing."

"Mmmhm. Could see all kinds of constellations... Used to track them now and then."

"An astronomer at heart?"

"Not quite. Dad had a telescope, and sometimes I'd stargaze with him. He's the one that taught me about what's above us."

Peeking up at Okabe after a short pause, Maho tiredly blinked with interest.

"What about you, Okabe?"

"What about me?"

"What kind of things did you do while growing up?"

"Oh, well... I helped my parents run their grocery store fairly often, at least in my teenage years. Younger... I pretty much did what most city kids would. Ran around and explored places, caused mischief... Went to arcades..."

"Oh really? You acted like me being an arcade gamer was odd, and here you are saying you used to be one too."

Looking away with a guilty smile, Okabe shrugged.

"So I've spent my share of Yen on gaming... Got into computers later on, and that's led me to where I am now."

"I see."

"Safe to say that I got caught up in our nation's obsession with computing."

"So did I. My family got one pretty early, and I probably used it the most out of anyone."

"Same. I ended up teaching my parents the finer details of usage."

Exhaling with shared hums of amusement, both computer scientists continued along the sidewalk, turning a corner onto Chuo-dori and glancing in several directions at their surroundings.

"Must be nice and quiet, being off the main streets."

Eyebrow quirking, Okabe peeked down at Maho.

"What, the lab?"

"Yeah. Always seems like your alley is really peaceful."

"It is. There's almost never through traffic."

"Nice. Even in the middle of Tokyo, its off the beaten path."

"That's why I love it. My soul has been tied to those floorboards ever since I first moved in."

"Well it is very homely. I like being there... With you, and everyone else."

"We certainly appreciate your presence... And I do enjoy your company."

Cheeks tinting slightly darker among the cold temperature, Maho's head tucked into her collar, her eyes hiding among her bangs.

"And I enjoy yours, Okabe."

Drawing to a halt several paces later at an intersection, watching dozens of vehicles and headlight beams pass left and right, both of them stood still beside the steel pillar of the streetlight. Then, Maho took a single step aside, and leaned against his arm with a slight nudge, only to lift away again as his arm rose, and his hand lifted out of his coat pocket. Looking down at his open palm, and then up at his face, still looking forward with a well-restrained smile, his eyes playfully peeked towards her, and a wisp of breath parted her lips.

_Oh? For me?_

Hesitantly drawing her own hand from the warm depths of her coat, her fingers unfurled, and in a tender moment of meeting, her palm slid onto the expanse of his fingers, curling around them with delicacy.

_Don't mind if I do._

Reaffirming her grip, and then looking at their held hands, a blush bloomed across her features as a pocket of warmth grew in their grasp, and with an upward glance, the signal lights just beyond turned red, and Okabe nodded forward, bringing them both into a walk across the street.

_I don't know how you do it, Okabe-san... But you are the warmest person I have ever been around. Even in the middle of a winter evening._

Tilting her head back and shaking her head in a brief shimmy of her hair, her head then settled onto her shoulder in a tilt. Gazing up at the college student keeping pace by her side, her fingers offered a gentle squeeze, and his digits did the same in response, bringing a lazy sigh from her nose.

_I don't need a blanket or anything. I'll just be around you... And maybe hug you too._

* * *

Drawing to a stop just inside the main doorway of the hotel's lobby, picturing a prior memory of walking her to the same place several days before, Okabe's lips parted to speak, only for Maho to release his hand and revolve with a shuffle of her backpack's contents, stepping up in front of him and rising onto her toes as she collided into an embrace. Tucking her arms beneath the folds of his coat and surrounding the sides of his sweater in a squeeze, she buried her face into the fabric, resting her forehead on the center of his chest.

_Ohhh you are huggable... And so warm!_

At first uncertain if he should kneel to match her height, Okabe's arms rested atop her shoulders instead, fingers intersecting behind her neck and brushing into the soft depths of her freely-falling mane. Waiting patiently as she nuzzled him with her cheekbone, her face then rose, alighting upon him with admiration visible in her emerald eyes.

_Miss Hiyajo... It would seem -_

"So... I'll be busy tomorrow. At the institute again."

"O-Oh, that's fine."

Blinking as his incomplete thought faded away among the lingering echo of her speech, his face settled into a passive gaze.

"Come by the lab whenever you want to... Later on, that is."

Smiling, from his bashfulness, Maho offered a tiny nod.

"I probably will." _Especially after earlier... You goof._

"Right. Guess I'll see you whenever you arrive then."

Stepping back in a reluctant separation from their embrace, Maho's heart throbbed as his arms lowered from her shoulders, and her own hands hid inside the pockets of her coat once more. Standing a short distance apart, both scientists remained in a matching gaze at the other, only to be severed as Maho's eyes slowly lowered.

"Good night... _Okabe_."

"Goodnight, _Maho_."

Exhaling, and turning away, she hesitantly began walking, listening for the distinct footfall of his shoes. Considering a glance back, her heart began to grow increasingly heavy, and her vision remained on the floor a short distance ahead of herself as she continued through the quiet lobby.

_Look what you've done, me. A little over a week until you fly back to America, and you let stuff like this start happening._

Vision rising to a newly opening elevator a short distance ahead, releasing a single occupant from behind its doors, she continued into the car, and turned towards the control panel, finger prodding a button for an upper floor. Waiting as the car's doors came together, her body flopped freely against the wall beside herself, and her lips pressed together from a swirl of memory.

_Still kinda amazed that even happened... Wasn't sure how a Japanese college student would handle being kissed, but he did just fine. He seems to handle every situation remarkably well. Always so calm and collected... At least, until I get him with something. Goofy guy. Sure brushes off things so easily. He's so easygoing and polite, and... What else, selfless? Caring? How else could I describe a guy I happened to meet, and happen to really like now? Amazing. There. You're amazing, Okabe Rintarou. That's why I kissed you earlier, in case you were wondering... Which you probably weren't, because you think the same of me, according to your messages the other night._

Staring at the door with a wistful expression, another sigh escaped her lungs.

_I wonder what he's thinking now... Knowing I'm not going to be here in Japan for much longer, and yet, all that stuff earlier started happening..._

Shoving herself upright from the elevator's wall as the car halted, and the doors slid open, she proceeded into the hallway beyond in a heading for her room. Walking along the patterned carpet with continued silence, her face then blossomed into a smitten grin.

_I'm sure he's happy. Cause even with time working against us... Everything that happened in the past hour or so was pretty damn wonderful._


	8. 1000

**Friday, January 20th, 2012; Brain Science Institute, Wako City, Saitama, Japan; 10:03a.m.**

Setting aside a now-empty travel mug, and typing the remainder of a quick login, Maho sat back in her chair as the familiar scorching logo of Amadeus' startup appeared with silence on the monitor. Hands retracting from the keyboard, one drifted over to her mouse, and the other settled onto her lap as she reduced the size of the window to one half of the screen, firing up an internet browser and adjusting it to fit into the other half.

_There._

Eyes flitting over to the program as a gentle startup tone emitted from the speakers, the familiar appearance of Amadeus-Makise faded into view, but instead of an automatic smile, her chin rose slightly from the sight of Maho through the webcam lens.

"Morning."

Realizing seconds later that the normally talkative program hadn't responded, Maho's eyes drifted up towards the device.

"...Are you awake?"

"I am. Also, I'm upset with you, Maho."

"Hm? Why?"

"Because you continue to shut me down with no warning."

"Oh... You've virtual. I know you can handle it."

"Virtual or not, I would like you to at least have the graces to say goodbye before shutting me down."

"Ooookay."

"I'm serious, senpai! You act as if its inconvenient to say parting words to someone."

"It isn't."

"Exactly, so find it within yourself to speak them. Even a friendly warning would suffice, actually."

"Alright, drama queen. Its not like either of us are vanishing forever."

"You shouldn't assume that, Maho. Anything could get corrupted in either of our existences."

"Noottt likely. My world doesn't just cease to function when things go haywire... And I sure didn't code your software to be susceptible to corruption either."

"Ah, so you're saying you programmed me to be perfect, Senpai?"

Unfazed by the virtual smile beaming towards her, Maho's finger drug along the mouse wheel.

"Not at all. I meant that I know your flaws, and they won't suddenly obliterate your operating session when errors occur."

"Hmph."

Looking towards the window with a flicker of interest from the redhead's pout, Maho's throat buzzed in a hum of amusement.

"Besides, perfection is impossible, and there's beauty in a well-functioning system. So you have that going for you."

Standing with crossed virtual arms, Amadeus-Makise then opened one eye towards Maho.

"Anyway, regardless of your blithe attitude and uncouth actions, I'm only responding because I wanted to ask if you've seen Okabe-san recently."

Noticing that Maho was distracted by something else on screen, only for her eyebrows to perk in a furrow, Amadeus turned fully towards Maho.

"...Senpai?"

"Hm?"

Bringing her attention to the screen, Amadeus' hands propped onto her sides.

"Don't ignore me. Have you seen him?"

"Okabe?"

"Yes. Have you sought him out ever since the other day? Wednesday?"

Expression settling, and then curling into a slowly growing smile, two tufts of hair shifted slightly from a slow tilt of Maho's head.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I would. Hence why I'm asking."

"Its entirely possible."

"Hmm. Such forced ambiguity, but leaning towards a yes... Did something happen?"

Stopping herself from the beginnings of a shrug, Maho instead looked away.

"Maybe."

"Mmmmhm. Seventy-five percent more positive something did, based on your eye movements and response."

Grunting from the factual prodding of the AI, her irides wandered up and further over.

"...What happened, Maho?"

Bodily turning in continued defiance, Maho's eyelids flopped shut.

"Not telling."

"Oh come on, senpai... Don't be like this."

"If you weren't snooping so much, I wouldn't have to."

"I'm not snooping! I'm just eternally curious about your human drive and emotions."

"And perpetually trying to give me advice."

"That's because I'm trying to help you, Maho!"

"You're helping drive me up the wall."

"You're just reluctant to admit that both of us are giving you sound advice."

"On something neither of you have personally experienced."

"Admittedly true, but we're not comparing ourselves to you."

Brow wrinkling, Maho's palms tightened for a fleeting moment.

_That's cause you never have, and never will... Kurisu._

"...Anyway, you've already narrowed my guesses significantly."

"Uh huh."

"Ready to hear them?"

"Nope."

"What? Why not?"

"Because."

"Senpai! You're not being fair."

Exhaling through her nose, Maho's lips cracked into a cheeky grin.

"That sucks."

Hearing a disgruntled sigh emit from the speakers, Maho peeked back with curiosity, only to realize that Amadeus visibly had her hand against her face, drawing her attention over fully.

_Oh wow, she's facepalming. That's hilarious, and rare to see. Okabe would love this. Frustrating my own artificial intelligence... In fact, let's just press F12 for a screenshot, and... Into an email you go._

Bringing up her email client in a new tab of the browser, a cheeky smile remained on her lips as she attached the screenshot, sending it after a short pattering of keyboard keys.

"...Senpai?"

"Mmm, yes?"

"Why are you so resistant to talking about Okabe-san anyway? Its obvious you like him."

Eyes closing, an exhale wandered from Maho's nose.

"Its just personal."

"Aren't all relationships personal?"

"Technically."

"You just don't like it when other people talk about someone you like."

"Mostly because rumors are destructive, and speculation is often inaccurate."

"You're a twenty-three year old woman, Maho. One would think that you'd be over petty worries like that."

"Alas, age means nothing in regards to people's maturity."

Remaining quiet, only to realize a potential tease, Maho squinted firmly towards a slowly-smiling Amadeus.

"...And I'm not talking about bodily maturity, mind you."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

"I was not."

"I'm not sure I believe you."

"Well, as you said, speculation is often inaccurate, so-."

"Hush."

Peeking down towards the pocket of her lab coat from the vibration of her cell phone, Maho's lips pursed, only to blossom into a grin from the response to her email.

"Is that him?"

Pocketing the phone and glancing towards the webcam, Maho's eyebrow rose with interest.

"Yes it was."

"I could tell by your smile... In any case, senpai, I'm surprised you aren't running me at your friend's apartment this time."

"I'm going to be here at the institute for most of today."

"Ah. Quality time with me and the professor?"

"You, mostly."

"Mmm. Extended solo testing... Alright."

"I might end up calling your human twin later... For interrogation purposes."

"Oh? You know she's going to say a majority of the same things I have, in regards to the Rintarou matter."

Brow furrowing from the spoken code name, Maho shook her head slightly.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

**Brain Science Institute, Wako City, Saitama, Japan; 12:42p.m.**

Seated at the same desk, with binders, two notebooks and a phone charger spread across the surface, Maho contently chewed on a mouthful of newly unpacked lunch. Waiting and listening to the dial tone of a new Skype call, she swallowed the serving and reached forward to gather another.

_Pick up, woman. You're online and its not even nine o'clock there. I know you're awake._

Glancing aside from a click, a fumbling of noise, and then the appearance of a video feed, she watched as blurry imagery of a dormitory appeared in a whirl, only to reveal the red hair and young face of Makise Kurisu sitting back on her bed.

"Hiyajo-senpai... Good evening."

"A little after noon here. Hello."

"Regardless of time zones... How goes it in the island nation?"

"Things are well."

"Yeah? That's good. Having lunch?"

"I am."

Watching Maho deliver a forkful of food to her mouth, Kurisu's expression changed with slight interest.

"Is that packaged Obento?"

"Mmmhm."

"Looks good."

"It is."

"You know, I've realized you're almost always eating when you call me."

"Not entirely coincidence."

"Consolidating tasks, are we?"

"Gotta stay productive, even during idle time."

"Or you have a secret ambition to make me hungry every time I see you. Are you attempting Pavlov-style conditioning?"

"That's a secret."

"Huh. Speaking of secrets..."

Slowly grinning as Maho's eyes flitted over to the screen, and then up to the webcam from her drawl, Kurisu's phone drew closer to her face.

"...A certain someone tells me you've been keeping a few, out there in Tokyo."

"Says who?"

"I think you know who."

Expression flattening for a moment, Maho set down the fork in her grasp.

_That AI sure acts quickly..._

"That one, huh? Before you begin, I've already heard a lecture from your conspiring virtual comrade this morning."

"Mm. Well, according to my virtual twin, or conspiracy comrade, as you've so aptly defined it... You are actively hiding things of interest."

Blinking, though remaining remarkably straight-faced, Maho's eyelashes fluttered with impasse at the accusation.

"Hiding things? What, about me and Okabe-san?"

"That's correct. Given your defensiveness on the matter, and your expression changes that occur from the mentioning of his name..."

"Familiarity and reactionary recognition normally cause facial muscle movements."

"I know. My point is, I myself firmly hypothesize that there are ongoing romantic developments regarding the Rintarou matter, and you are simply too shy to speak of them."

Trying valiantly not to blush, Maho's fingers began rubbing her forehead.

_The Rintarou matter... Are you two serious right now?_

"You know I'm only here for a few more days, right?"

"That hardly matters, Maho. As I have already told you, there's no reason to let a future departure stop you from having fun in the meantime."

"I... I know."

"To that end, I agree with my twin as well. Since you clearly like mister Rintarou... You should go on a date with him."

Eyelids blasting open, a firestorm of warmth rose up along her neck.

"A... _Date?_ "

"Doesn't that sound nice?"

"But..."

"Think about it, Maho. You found a cute, nice guy you like in a big city. There's a million things you could do and see together."

Head sinking into her shoulders, attempting to hide among her bangs, Maho's face continued to redden, much to a giggling Makise's delight.

"...Am I wrong?"

"No."

"Alright. Let's go over this in detail then. You both like each other, right?"

"Y-Yes."

"You both have similar interests, right?"

"Yes we do."

"You both can stand being around each other, I assume?"

"Yes, certainly."

"Do you make each other laugh?"

"Sometimes. Depends on the situation..."

"Hmmm..."

Peeking back towards the monitor, and then the webcam from Kurisu's drawl, Maho watched as her state-side compatriot rolled over in her bed, only for her lips to blossom into a smile.

"He sounds date-able. I think you should go for it, senpai."

Exhaling with a sigh, shoulders slumping, Maho's imagination began running wild with projected imagery of a prospective date.

_I'd love to go on a date. I mean, I already kissed him. He's definitely date-able, but, am I date-able to him?_

"...If he likes you, I promise you won't regret asking him. He might end up being a really nice date."

"I'm... Sure he will. It's just..."

_...What happens if I end up wanting to keep seeing him, and I'm all the way across the ocean again?_

"Just what?"

"N-Nothing. Just thinking of things."

"Things regarding Okabe-san?"

Legs crossing, picturing the tender moments of a kiss shared only an evening beforehand, a sigh seeped from Maho's lungs.

"Yeah."

* * *

**JR Tobu-Tojo Line, Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 7:29 p.m.**

Seated on one of several side benches inside of an electric-multiple-unit train, her slender hand gripping a nearby pole for stability, Maho sat in silence, listening to the muffled hum of electric motors and occasional clatter and screech of steel wheels on steel rail. Across the aisle, an empty seat allowed a view of the passing cityscape outside, bathed in the light of an ongoing sunset.

_Two weeks ago, I never imagined I'd actually be thinking this much about a guy. In Japan. An ocean apart from where I came from._

Looking into the horizon, searching for an ocean somewhere beyond, her fingertips tapped against the steel post, and her knees swayed as the train wound through several sweeping curves.

_Okabe-san... How WOULD you feel about a date? I'm pretty certain you like me... But enough to go on a date, right as I'm about to leave the country?_

Leaning back in the seat, Maho's head bumped against the window glass behind, remaining against it among the gentle rocking motion of the train.

_Oh... What's a little bit of fun and adventure before I go. Right? I mean, I already kissed him, and he didn't react weirdly... That alone should say something about how he feels. Even knowing that I'll be leaving in a few days, he still seemed pretty happy. I love how he handles everything so well. So easygoing and calm, even after being kissed by a woman older than him..._

Imagining his bashful expressions, and then the warmth of his palm in her grasp, a grin split her lips, only to fade as another thought nudged into her mind.

_...Huh. Was I his first kiss? Nah. There's no way. Not with his handsomeness. I'm sure Mayuri was his first... Maybe. I mean, I have no idea what his social life is like at his college, but for all I know..._

Hesitating, her vision drifted around in brief a roll of her eyes instead.

_...Right. I'm apparently projecting him as some suave ladies man, when he's a twenty-year-old computer science student. Pretty sure I'm the only one that's got her eyes set on an adorable nerd like him... An adorable, tall, soft spoken, well dressed nerd._

Warmth slowly crept into her cheeks, and a breath escaped her nose seconds later.

_Alright. I'm gonna ask him on a date. Then I'll see what sort of gentleman he really can be, one-on-one. That'll be a sure-fire eye opener... Being beside mister Rintarou for an evening._

* * *

**Friday, January 20th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:06p.m.**

Gathering various articles of clothing into a provided hamper, and then hanging her coat onto a hook mounted on the wall of the hotel room, Maho listened to the ongoing dial tone of another Skype call emanating from her laptop.

_Normally you're the one calling me incessantly... Seems the tables have turned today._

Peeking over at her laptop as the call was answered, the screen began loading the video feed, showing a recently showered Kurisu slipping several books into a shoulder bag.

"...Maho?"

"Over here, hold on."

Scurrying into view of the laptop, Maho bent over the desk, wearing a T-shirt and pajama shorts.

"Oh. Hello again."

"Hey."

"You're not eating? I'm surprised."

"Getting ready to do laundry."

"Hmm."

"Anyway, wanted to let you know... That I'm gonna do it."

Watching a not-entirely awake Kurisu slowly blink, Maho eyed the webcam on her laptop intently.

"...Do what?"

"Gonna go on a date."

"Ohhh senpai! Did you ask him?"

"I... No. He doesn't know yet."

"Mmm. A surprise, huh? You're going to dress up for it, right?"

"Ah, uh, well... Yeah."

"I hope so! He's something special, right? Dress like you think of him that way."

"But, I've... I don't..."

"Find something nice, if you didn't pack anything already."

"I didn't."

"Figured. You're in the middle of Tokyo, right? Just find a store! Can't be that hard to accomplish."

Hand pressing against her eyes in a momentary grimace, she lifted it up into her bangs.

"Fine. Alright."

"You'll thank me later, Maho. Boys like it when ladies dress nicely."

Brow furrowing as her eyes rolled, she grunted.

"Hmph."

"Its true, and you know it. I'm sure your Okabe-san would love to see you all prettied up anyway."

Looking away from a blush that shattered her prior expression, Maho's head sank onto her shoulder.

"...Right?"

"Mmmaybe."

"Maybe... Yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Now go get yourself a dress, and go get mister Rintarou."

Looking down and burying her face into her folded arms, heart racing, Maho released a huff of breath.

"Alright."

* * *

**Saturday, January 21st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:43a.m.**

Walking out of the courtyard surrounding her hotel's main entrance, Maho held her phone to her ear, tucked among her lengthy locks of hair.

"Yes, that's... _No_. No, that's why I'm calling, actually. I'm not coming in today, sorry."

_"Busy with another round of errands?"_

Grimacing instantly from the professor's teasing words, a breath of impatience left her lungs.

 _Shut. Up._ "There's things I'm taking care of today. That's all."

_"Ah. Well, I'm not saying you can't, Maho. Why don't you let me know when you plan to come by again. I'll be here."_

"Alright, I will. Today and tomorrow are highly unlikely, but Monday will probably work."

_"You do realize that's the second-to-last day before we're to catch our flight at Haneda airport."_

"I realize this, professor."

_"See you whenever you come around, then."_

"Yeah. Seeya."

***click***

Lowering her phone to the pocket of her coat, and then looking left and right along the length of an ever-busy Chuo-dori, the cool winter air filled her insides in refreshing blasts of sensory awakening as she walked.

_That's right. Our flight leaves on Tuesday... Not even a week from now._

Sighing with silent melancholy, stepping over the repeating divisions in the concrete sidewalk, her vision lazily wandered along dozens of electronic signs mounted on every available surface of the buildings lining the avenue.

_Barely four days... To figure out a date, and I guess I'm going clothes shopping while I'm at it. This doesn't even feel real, but, when in Tokyo... Guess I'll be doing what any other woman would do before a prospective date._

Distractedly peering through the glass of numerous street-side windows, discerning and glazing over a wide variety of shops and stores, she briefly hesitated from a cosplay shop, only to continue further onward.

_I haven't even asked Okabe if he wants to do this... So why am I already looking for something to wear? Seems awfully confident... But I guess anything I get could be worn later, huh? Not entirely a waste if things don't play out._

Peeking up at the steel girders of a railway overpass from a slowly growing rumble, she watched the sudden appearance of a commuter train on the elevated line, brakes screeching as it decelerated to a halt. Looking aside, she then realized she was within walking distance of Akihabara station, and she squinted towards several signs across the street, touting a variety of shops housed among the large structure.

_So, what... Is the train station a mall of some sort too? Club SEGA is right here too. Everything's crowded around and below the railroad track. No wasted space here..._

Unable to resist her steadily growing curiosity as she passed under the shadow of the dark green viaduct, she began across the wide painted stripes of a crosswalk in a diagonal heading to the opposite street corner, passing numerous pedestrians as she stepped onto the curb and leaned to the side, attempting a view further down the open passage that now greeted her.

_This must be a mall. Or something. Sure would explain why so many people have bags... Or they've just been shopping everywhere else around here too._

Continuing past the concrete facade of the station, peeking towards several windows in passing, her eyes then rose to the prominent roof line of the train station ahead, silhouetted against the partly-cloudy sky beyond.

_Akihabara must be a merchandise mecca. I can't even begin to imagine how much money flows through this area alone. What's this place... Atr_ _é one? The station is right here, but... Hold on._

Slowing her feet to a halt and drawing her blue and white phone from her pocket, she opened a map application with several taps of her thumb. Looking up at the store's name, and back down at the empty search bar on the screen, she instead found the name among her current location, tapping on it for additional information.

_Oh. Huh. This is a clothing store. Should I start here?_

Looking around once more, however, she squinted at the nearby doorway as several people passed in and out, only to continue aside towards the main entrance of the station.

_...This probably isn't the only place. Lets explore our options first. Then we'll decide on a plan of action to execute._

* * *

Standing before a large sign just inside of the station's entrance, with a listing of all stores and facilities on premise, Maho repeatedly glanced back and forth between the directory, and a large map adjoining the listings.

_God. There are a lot of places squeezed in here, umm..._

Crossing her arms, and releasing a held breath, Maho leaned back onto one leg, only to shift onto the other. Then, the presence of another individual appeared beside her, and Maho remained silent as the person, discovered to be female from the layered, colorful dress draped from her shoulders, seemed to look over the map as well.

Seconds later, shoulders tightening from the continued silence, and then a teasingly sweet smell entering her nose, Maho discreetly peeking aside at the young woman standing beside her, only to realize two long, coiled ponytails sprouted from a cat-eared headband, spiraling down to her hips.

_Whoa... My hair's long, but... Damn._

Blinking with surprise from the sight, and the unusual pink-ish color, her inspection of the bystander's appearance continued with moderate interest.

_Is that... Real? Or are you one of those cosplayer types around here..._

Hurriedly looking away as the girl's attention turned to her, Maho pretended to look at the directory again, only for the girl to lean forward with a visible smile, entering the corner of her vision.

"Looking for a place in particular, _nya?_ "

Attention flitting over from the distinctly pitched voice, and then a friendly smile accompanying her curious, beautiful eyes, Maho's mouth opened, shut, and then drew open again.

"Ahh, well... Yeah."

"Food? Or are you in a shopping mood?"

Watching the batting of her long eyelashes, and briefly speechless from the cutesy voice and errant rhyme, Maho stared at the young woman.

"...Shopping. For clothes. Kind of. Trying to figure out how to start, really."

"Mmm... Faris loves the thrill of the hunt for flashy fashion... Anything _meow_ is looking for in particular?"

"Uh, well, I'm... Actually intending to find an outfit for a special evening."

"Oooh, with a special someone?"

Blushing from the teasing speech and tilt of her head, Maho's hands retreated into the pockets of her coat.

"M-Maybe."

"Nyahahaa, I knew it!"

Whirling around in place, the young woman then propped her hand on her hip, and her other arm shot outward, touching Maho's shoulder with a gentle prod of her index finger.

"Well. If one is looking to find something so she can dress to impress... UNIQLO is a good place to start."

Turning and touching the exact location on the map with her outstretched finger, Maho's eyes wandered along her arm.

"Uniq... Oh."

"Yep! Right here, and just down that way. They'll definitely have cute things for a petite lady like you, since they've always had dressings for my size as well."

Watching as the pink-haired girl's hand rose up beside her head in a measurement of height, a smile slowly curled onto Maho's cheek from her similar stature.

_Hah! For once, someone else understands the struggles of being short...!_

"Although, Atré might work for you too! Its just outside, you might have already seen it. I've frequented both, honestly, so if one doesn't have what I'm looking for, the other usually does."

Exhaling from the new infusion of information, Maho offered a nod to the friendly stranger.

"Thank you. I'll probably end up visiting both of them."

"Nyaha, you should! And you're very welcome. Faris loves helping out puzzled visitors. Akiba is a busy and confusing place when you're not from the area."

Head leaning back slightly from the remark, Maho's eyebrow rose.

 _Puzzled, huh?_ "How did you know I'm not from here?"

"A cat's intuition can tell, _nya_. I've never seen you around here until this past week... Plus, you just confirmed it, silly."

"Ah, right. I guess I did."

"Anyway, I'm off to continue today's glorious adventure. Have fun on your date, you petite Peridot!"

Looking over her shoulder as the pink-haired mystery skipped away with a whirl of her layered dress, vanishing through the station's doorway and causing several additional heads to temporarily turn beyond, Maho's eyebrows rose higher.

_Petite... Peridot? What?_

Distractedly turning back to the directory, and spotting the aforementioned store on the map once more, Maho then looked aside to the hallway continuing into the distance within the station.

_UNIQLO, huh?_

Beginning into a heading down the indoor passage, with reserved footfall accompanying her wandering eyes, she remained in a constant search for the store's name, emblazoned somewhere within the building.

_Guess we'll give it a shot... Per the advice of the adventuring princess._

* * *

Standing within the confined space of a changing room, Maho scrutinized the mirror reflection of the textiles that draped from her shoulders and waist. Crossing her arms, the sleeves of a clover-green blouse drew up along her slender biceps, with the rest of the shirt meandering over her bosom and hanging loose in a gentle ripple around her waist. Tucked just beneath the hem, a pleated black skirt continued the gentle undulations of the shirt around her hips and down to her knees, shrouding a pair of black mesh leggings that covered the entirety of her legs, punctuated with a matching pair of black loafers on her feet, decorated by a small bow on the tip of each shoe.

_The real question now... What will Okabe think when he sees me like this?_

Grinning from the thought of the college student stammering in a dazzled stupor of admiration, a giggle erupted from her throat.

_If he likes me in street clothes... He's going to be beside himself. Teehee, I can't wait to see his face!_

Twisting aside, watching the brief undulation and settling of clothing from her motion, a hum of interest wandered from her throat.

_Guess its obvious that green is my color, huh?_

Vision rising along her own figure, shrouded in alluring secrecy beneath the dressy clothing, she then looked at her own eyes in the mirror's reflection.

_Peridot... Isn't that a gemstone? Calling me a little green... Gem._

Lips curling into a smile from the realization, her arms released from being crossed, hands settling onto her hips.

_Guess that was a compliment after all._

Turning left and right with one more round of inspection, brushing her hand into her mane of hair and allowing it to slip free from her fingers, she then preened the skirt, feeling the texture of the black textile on her fingertips.

_Thank you, pretty pink-haired stranger. Your advice has been heeded and appreciated._

* * *

Wandering towards the front checkout counter of UNIQLO, with the selected articles of clothing draped over her shoulder and shoes in her grasp, Maho's heart remained in a steady, excited beat.

_Alright. Picked an outfit. Now to pay for it._

Arms rising, depositing the objects onto the counter, the cashier looked down towards her with a brief rise of an eyebrow.

"...Find everything alright?"

"I did."

Scanning the bar codes of the clothing, the cashier then inspected the blouse with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, That's a lovely color."

"Yeah. I love that shade of green."

"You'll look wonderful, hun."

Grinning from the compliment, Maho beamed.

"That's the plan."

_The plan... For romancing an Okabe-san._

"Your total comes out to... Seventeen thousand, two hundred Yen."

Discreetly inhaling with surprise from the total, her lips pressed together as she took out her wallet, tugging a debit card from a slot within.

_Seventeen... Thousand. Alright._

Handing the card over, she stared at her university ID card, visible behind a windowed pouch.

_Well... What's another, what, hundred and fifty dollars to a prestigious university... Right? They're covering the hotel and airfare, so... I'll just expense this on the school budget too, and..._

Swallowing from the distinct sound of the card being swiped through a reader, she reached up and retrieved the plastic rectangle, shoving it back into the wallet as the new purchases were swiftly bagged.

_...That's that._

"Thank you, miss. Have a wonderful evening."

Nodding, and accepting the bags, a sigh parted her lungs.

"Yeah. You too."

* * *

**Saturday, January 21st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:17p.m.**

Seated on the edge of her hotel bed, on an open space pulled back among the disheveled sheets, Maho's vision remained on the newly purchased outfit, still residing within the bag by her feet.

_Alright. The easy part is done... Now for the real challenge._

Plucking her smartphone from its place among the mangled sheets, her hands surrounded the device as she unlocked it, and for an unnervingly long moment, she stared at the main screen, until it darkened and shut off.

_'Hey Okabe, I was wondering if you were free on Sunday.' Okay. Say that, and go from there. Easy enough._

Illuminating the main menu with the press of the device's center button, her heart began pounding as she looked through a list of recent calls, thumb hovering over one particular contact among the list.

_Rintarou, Japanese Man of Mystery. Heheh. Well... Here we go._

Thumb tapping on an option to call, the phone's screen displayed a newly started phone call, and she sharply inhaled, hopping upright from the bed and brushing the device up against her ear. Listening to the ongoing dialing, she wandered across the room to the desk, pushing back her closed laptop and clearing a space to rest her arms as she sank into the accompanying chair.

" _Hello?_ "

Eyes widening from the calm, familiar voice answering, she gripped the edge of the desk's surface.

"O-Okabe... Hey."

" _Afternoon, Hiyajo-san. How are you?_ "

"I'm... Doing well. How about you?"

" _Been doing the normal weekend duties around the house all morning_."

"Paying for rent and meals, huh?"

" _Haha, yeah. Definitely. How about you?_ "

Eyes flitting around, her head tilted, nudging her shoulder with her chin.

"Oh, just... Decided to be touristy today."

" _Exploring Akiba a bit?_ "

"A little bit. Spent all of yesterday at the institute so I took a mental break."

" _That place is in... Wakoshi, right?_ "

"Wako city. Yeah. You're out in Ikebukero, aren't you?"

"I am."

"I'm pretty sure the train I've been taking to Wako, goes to Ikebukero."

" _The Tobu-Tojo line?_ "

"Yeah."

" _It does. You've passed it every time._ "

"Oh. Huh."

" _My parent's place is between Akiba and Wakoshi, as a matter of fact._ "

"Tokyo is so big... You hardly realize how much distance you're actually covering."

" _Odd, isn't it. The spread of a metropolis is far and wide._ "

"Yeah. Los Angeles and San Francisco are the same way. Huge cities."

" _California, right?_ "

"Yeah."

" _I can only imagine._ "

Exhaling from the following pause, Maho's lips parted, her mind scrambling with preparation after a surprising length of small-talk.

"So, Okabe-san... I actually wanted to ask you something."

" _Really?_ "

"Y-Yeah."

" _Hmm. Fire away. I'm not busy._ "

"Alright, uh..."

Daintily exhaling, her eyes sank to her lap, heart pounding among the fleeting seconds of silence.

"...I wanted to know... If you'd like to go... On a date. With me."

Remaining in a wince from the continued quieting of her voice, Maho listened to the phone's earpiece carefully.

"... _A date?_ "

"Y-Yes. You've been on one, right?"

" _No, not really_."

Throat locking, and eyes flying open, Maho then stared at the surface of the desk.

_What?!_

"... _Have you, Miss Hiyajo?_ "

Uneasily looking aside from the returning question, her arms shrunk closer to herself.

"I... Haven't, really, either."

" _Hmmm. Uncharted territory for both parties_."

"I guess."

" _Huh. Well_..."

"Honestly, of the two of us, I would have at least expected _you_ to have date experience."

" _Oh? What would have made you reason that?_ "

"Uh, well, I mean..." _You're really handsome, and stuff, so..._ "...You'd be surprised."

" _I would be. People are surprising_."

"Yeah." _Especially people like you._

" _As a matter of fact, you've surprised me a lot lately, Hiyajo-san_."

Leaning down onto her arm, her cheeks remaining pink, the thumb of her free hand repeatedly rubbed the grain of the desk's trim.

"Yeah? I can only imagine the ways."

" _All of which have been wonderful and unforgettable._ "

"Ohh... You hush."

" _I'm afraid you can't silence the truth, Hiyajo-san_."

"Not entirely, at least."

" _The truth of your feelings made you initiate this phone call... And my own true feelings made sure I answered._ "

"Oh yeah?" _True feelings...? Holy crap what is he about to say, uhh..._

" _Indeed. That way I could respond to your offer with a resounding yes... Because yes, Maho, I would like to go on a date with you._ "

Exhaling with a rapidly rising heartbeat, she leaned back in her chair, staring at the wall, and then beaming with delight as a rush of temperature change coursed across her skin.

_Ohhh wow that's exciting...!_

"O-Okay! Um, what would you like to do?"

" _Shouldn't I be asking you that?_ "

"I guess."

" _Then what would you like to do, Maho?_ "

"Humm... Honestly, even just exploring Akihabara with you has been tons of fun, so lets do that... And check out shops and places, and then find another yummy restaurant..."

" _Sounds great. What day?_ "

"Are you free tomorrow?"

" _The afternoon, yes. I'll still be here in the morning so I'd have to take a train_."

"That's fine. I'll be here in the afternoon too."

" _Sounds like a plan_."

"Yeah."

Sitting still, listening to her heartbeat, she then heard a slight chuckle emit from the phone's speaker.

" _I suppose I'll see you tomorrow then. Any time in particular?_ "

"Four?"

" _Sure._ "

"Alright. See you tomorrow then, Okabe."

" _Likewise. Have a wonderful rest of the day, Miss Hiyajo._ "

"Mmmm... You too." _Mister Rintarou._

Releasing a breath through her nose, she set her phone aside on the desk as the call ended, and then took in and released a great, mirthy breath.

_Ohhh damn. Alright, me. You just got yourself a date with a Japanese guy. In the middle of Tokyo._

Bursting into a giggle, her head rolled aside, bringing her vision to a nearby clock.

_Let's see if two nerds of a feather... Can handle flying together._


	9. 1001

**Sunday, January 22nd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 3:19p.m.**

Seated on the wide counter of the bathroom sink in her hotel room, Maho watched her own reflection with interest as she drug a brush through the length of her dark mane in repeating motions.

_Been a long time since I've cared enough... To dress up like this._

Vision flitting down in another scrutinization of the shamrock-colored blouse, its folds spread onto the counter around her rear, her head tilted as she continued brushing around her ear.

_Good to know I can still handle it though. Been a while since high school... Wearing skirts every day for a uniform. Only in Japan..._

Imagining her lackluster state of dress back at the university, a sigh filtered from her nose.

_Honestly, you could hardly consider the population of Viktor Chondria to be an attractive bunch... Maybe besides Makise, but she's nineteen. So I really couldn't care less about how I look. Comfort will almost always win out over style, and has the added bonus of deflecting unwarranted attention. But now that I'm in a foreign nation..._

Lips pursing, only for a smile to force through, she looked up towards the ceiling of the bathroom.

_...Somehow, even with me being lazily dressed, somebody liked who they saw. Somebody by the name of Okabe Rintarou... A humble computer science student from Tokyo Denki. Probably the sweetest, goofiest college student I've ever come across... And I only realized this because he had the patience and persistence to approach me about my work with Amadeus in detail, back at the tech expo. Even while I stuffed my face with food, he just kept smiling and listening._

Setting the brush aside, she began tugging a trio of hair ties from her wrist.

_Always smiling, and always willing to listen. And then being so generous with his apartment, and that computer of his... Taking me places to eat... Walking me back to the hotel late at night... God. No wonder I feel like this. He's already cute as can be... At least to me. One could scarcely believe people as kind-hearted and easygoing as him could exist in this world... And it so happens he does. Right in the middle of Tokyo. Existing in a funky realm, halfway between adolescence and adulthood... But I guess I am too, huh?_

Reaching behind her head and grasping a handful of her hair, she lifted it upward and began arranging it into the beginnings of an updo.

_Funny how similar people's situations are, an ocean and a nation apart. Almost seven billion people on this planet, and I happen upon one particular individual on a school-funded trip to Japan... And here I am, a half hour away from a date with him. Dressed to hopefully impress. I can hardly believe this is a real thing, really happening to me._

Looking aside, attentively observing the motions of her hands in the mirror's reflection, the last of three elastic bands slipped free of her fingers and bound her hair together, keeping it in position behind her head.

_I wonder how he's feeling right now? I haven't really asked him about his feelings at all... I just know he likes me, and let me kiss him and hold his hand, and... Jeez. He said yes to this date, didn't he? How else would a guy his age be feeling? Some woman he befriended from a famed university in the United States asked him out for an evening. He's probably excited as hell. Goofy guy..._

Finishing the arrangement of her hair, her fingers felt around the counter in a short-lived search for the brush, plucking it from its resting place and daintily straightening the remainder of freely-hanging locks.

_He's probably on his way from Ikebukero by train already. Ten minutes of walking and I'll be at the station too. Should be ready by three-fifty, easily._

Leaning against the mirror with a thump of her shoulder, she inspected her face up close, tilting her head in the opposite direction to change the lighting on her facial features.

_Mmkay. Complexion looks good... Lashes are already loud and proud... I think we're good there._

Setting the brush aside once more, her palms flattened onto the counter, and her arms shoved up and over in a moment of self-levitation over the edge. Dropping onto the fuzzy floor mat below, she turned back to the mirror, eying her hairdo from the brief fall, and then preened her blouse and skirt in several places.

_Seems to be holding up... You stay put, mane of mine. This is just for an evening, and then you can hang loose again._

Crossing her arms, however, her heart began beating a little bit faster as she evaluated her own final appearance.

_Alright, Okabe. I'm doing all this for you, so don't be afraid to be honest. Tell me what you think of me... Once you do finally see me._

Eyes widening as her phone chirped and vibrated on the counter, Maho's arm shot out and scooped it into her grasp, only to discover the inbound text was from Kurisu.

_Oh. Dammit. You scared me, woman._

Expression flattening as she unlocked her phone, she blinked from the message meeting her eyes.

'Did you ask him?'

Thumbs coming together above the screen, she typed a swift response, and then looked at the time on the status bar at the top of the screen.

 _Three-thirty-four, okay._ 'I did, and he said yes.'

Watching the message send, the screen then displayed the inbox again, only for another message to appear a short time later.

'OMG SENPAI Go get him! When's the day?'

'Today. In half an hour actually. ^_^'

'Oooooh! You lucky lady! Did you find something to wear?'

'Mhmm.'

'Can I see?'

'Sure. Hold on.'

Starting the camera application on her phone, she leaned back against the bathroom wall, with her free arm crossing beneath her bosom, and the other rising above her head. Thumb tapping on a button to reverse the camera, her eyebrow quirked above a half-confident smile, followed by a snort from the image on the screen.

 _Lets see how not-photogenic I am..._ ***click***

Reviewing the picture, she rolled her eyes, and added it to a new message.

_Alright. Here you go._

Turning aside and stepping out of the bathroom as the message sent, her index finger swiped the room's light switch off, and she strode into her messy room, setting her phone aside on the desk and plucking a shoulder bag from the back of a chair.

_Not wearing the ol' backpack this time around..._

Undoing the buckles while approaching her bed, she turned the bag over, dumping its contents onto a flat space among her sheets. Plucking her wallet and several small peripherals out from the newly formed pile, she deposited them back into the bag, only to straighten upright.

_Where's my umbrella?_

Looking over her shoulder to the aforementioned backpack seated near her desk, she spun around and strolled over, tugging open the zipper and humming from the plastic handle of the rediscovered object.

_There you are, weather shield. Speaking of weather, actually..._

Looking up as her phone vibrated again, she tugged the umbrella out of the backpack's depths and tucked it under her arm, lifting her phone from the desk.

_Let's see what she... Oh wow you're in all-caps mode._

'OH MY GOD MAHO YOU LOOK SO CUUUUUUUUUTE \\(^-^)/'

Eyebrow rising as another message appeared among vibration, Maho's mouth began curling with amusement.

'Okabe-san has no idea what he's in for! WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT OUTFIT AUGH'

Bursting into a giggle from the excited state-side response, another message pushed the prior replies upward on the screen, drawing her eyes to it.

'You'd better tell me how this evening goes, Maho. I'm rooting for you, you know!"

Drawing the umbrella from her armpit, she began a slow walk back to the shoulder bag laying on the bed, brushing aside an empty shopping bag with her foot as she typed another reply.

'I will, but you're gonna have to be patient. Kk?'

'Ohhhhh alright.'

Returning to the main screen, a pause of recollection then led her thumb to a weather application, bringing up a variety of local meteorological information on the screen.

_Forty-six degrees, partly cloudy. Seventy percent chance of snow...? It was already raining this morning._

Peeking down at the umbrella in her grasp with renewed interest, she summarily shoved it into the depths of the shoulder bag, hoisting the satchel up onto her arm shortly afterward.

_Better bring the coat. Especially if it does actually snow._

Backpedaling towards a nearby coat rack, she lifted the thick textile free of its hook, and after a moment of consideration towards the available space within the bag, she shook her head. Lifting the flap up and over, her fingers squeezed the buckles back together, moving over and folding the coat in half and draping it over the bag.

_Okay. I do believe we are ready, and its... Almost quarter till. Should be good. Being early isn't bad._

Exhaling with a renewed tingle of anticipation, she slipped on the new pair of loafers, swiped the room keys from the nightstand beside the bed, and a grin began permeating her cheeks as she began towards the room's door.

_This is actually happening. Isn't it?_

Pulling open the door, and peeking out into the empty hallway, Maho then turned in place, closing the door and waiting for the click of an electronic lock.

_Premises secure... Pretty sure I have everything I'll need... Let's do this!_

Heading into the hallway, only to start skipping along the patterned carpet, a gleeful giggle escaped her throat as she drew up in front of the hotel's twin elevators.

_A date with Okabe-san... Only minutes away! I hope you're ready, Mister Rintarou._

* * *

**JR Yamanote Line, Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 3:51p.m.**

Standing within the confines of a green and white E231 series railcar, among ten other units in the electric train consist, Okabe remained in a lean against one of the poles mounted in the middle, his arm curled around the smooth steel to maintain balance as the train hustled along the double-tracked commuter line. Tilting his red smartphone into view near his waist, a tap of his thumb revealed the numerical date and time on an otherwise black screen, bringing a hum from the depths of his throat.

_Three-fifty-two... Keeping on schedule. She said to meet at four, and we should be arriving in ten minutes or less... I'm sure we'll be alright._

Touching a smooth, freshly shaved chin with his fingertips, he looked aside in a glance towards the nearest window, noticing a translucent reflection of himself was visible on the glass. Focusing on the nearly-hidden sight, offering a partial view of the bright red and black-trimmed dress shirt buttoned up along his chest, his vision then wandered down to his own two legs, inspecting the crisp folds of freshly ironed, dark grey dress pants.

_Hope she wont mind that my wardrobe is somewhat limited thanks to school... I'm sure I look alright._

Leaning aside from the pole as the train coasted around a sweeping curve, the umbrella hanging beneath his elbow swayed outward from the motion, drawing his attention to the object hidden beneath his trusty black suit coat that also sat on the bend in his arm.

_Come to think of it... I wonder what she'll be wearing? I doubt she'd still be in that hoodie and everything... Not that it matters, I suppose. Clothing isn't everything, right? She's lovely in her own way. Certainly with those eyes of hers... Such a dazzling green beneath those lashes. Blessed be the emerald eyed enigma._

Picturing recent memories of the young woman's gentle gaze, tucked among her freely falling locks of long dark hair, his heart stirred from the reprise of imagery.

_Considering she asked me to a date... I'm sure she's figured out something. Maybe I'll just wait and see... Since we're only a few minutes out._

Peeking back out of the window, spotting the familiar silhouettes of numerous larger high-rises among the cityscape, he shoved his smartphone back into his pocket, resting his palm onto the black leather band of his belt.

_Brace yourself, Rintarou. You have no idea what you're in for, but by no means are we in an imposition. Hiyajo-san will be glad to see us regardless, so we'll do what we do best._

Looking ahead as the train began slowing from an application of brakes, his heart began beating harder as the consist trundled over an avenue below, gliding alongside newly appearing station platforms and drawing his vision to the bystanders waiting outside.

_Right. Now arriving in Akihabara... Let's do this._

* * *

Walking on a now-familiar path alongside the length of the multi-level train station, cheeks and nose pink from the cold air, Maho pressed onward, only to peek up towards the elevated rail line as the clatter of a departing train echoed off of the walls of adjacent buildings.

_I wonder..._

Wandering across the empty pavement and entering the wide expanse of the station's courtyard, the imposing height of the nearby UDX center rose into the sky, drawing her eyes up towards the roof, and then beyond to the lightly overcast cloud cover as it slowly sealed away the remaining blue sky from sight.

_...It might actually snow if it gets any colder._

Continuing in a slight turn, her small feet led her towards the broad stairwell of a curved pedestrian bridge, only to draw to a halt besides the thin foliage of a potted bush. Glancing at her surroundings in a wide pan, searching for a familiar face among the hundreds of passerby, a wisp of warm breath rose from her lips, vanishing into the air above.

_Should be right around four. Right?_

Unclasping a buckle of her shoulder bag, and fishing for the smartphone within, her fingers curled around the device and lifted it out, allowing a glance at the virtual hands of a clock temporarily depicted on the screen.

_Three minutes after four... Okay. As I thought._

Chin rising, dragging her eyes towards another street several meters ahead, a variety of vehicles motored past in fleeting appearances behind the multi-directional movements of pedestrians. Towing her eyes along the shops lining the sides of the station's ground level, her heart beat with uncertainty as she glanced towards the station's entrance.

_I'm sure he's just going to appear somewhere and sa-_

Watching as a tall silhouette stepped out of the shadow of the station's doorway, an exhale emptied her lungs as a bright crimson shirt, dark pants, and a unmistakable face revealed the presence of a groomed and well-dressed Okabe a short distance away.

_There you are._

Turning fully towards him, releasing the phone from her grasp, she watched as he peered left and right at his surroundings, with an expression of slight confusion forming on his features as his hand slipped into his pocket, retrieving his phone.

_I'm almost straight ahead of you, you goof!_

Stepping into motion with a giggle, she approached him with calm, reserved footfall, trading the remainder of her smile for a parting of her lips as his clean-cut appearance rapidly gained detail. Then, with a spike of heartbeat, his attention flitted up from his phone, and his eyebrows shot upward as her approaching presence was suddenly realized.

_Oh... Wow._

"H-Hiyajo-san."

"Okabe... Hey."

Slowing to a gentle halt in front of him, both computer scientists remained temporarily speechless, in a mutual moment of evaluation and unfettered admiration of the other's appearances.

_You, meanwhile..._

Exhaling, hearts thumping inside their chests, their eyes slowly wandered together, and cautious little laughs wandered from their throats, as Okabe pocketed his phone, and Maho brushed her shoulder bag further back with her arm in a brief adjustment.

"I... Didn't keep you waiting too long, did I?"

Gently shaking her head, she remained in an upward gaze towards him.

"Not at all... I've probably been here for all of two minutes."

"Ah. That's good."

Head tilting aside ever-so-slightly, allowing wayward locks of hair to drift aside, her arms then drew together in front of herself, with one hand curling around her other wrist.

"You... Look handsome as ever."

Cheeks swiftly reddening as a breathy chuckle left his lungs, she blinked several times, and her vision lowered to his collar, descending along the black buttons of his shirt.

_I'm serious. Where did you find that shirt? Talk about making your presence known... Without saying a word._

"Thank you. Considering the location of our outing... I wanted to ensure my visibility among the weekend crowds."

"Well you certainly are a sight to see, Okabe."

"As are you, Hiyajo-san."

A hum of elation wandered from her throat, and her eyes bashfully flitted up towards his face, only to dart away again.

 _While we're on that subject..._ "How... Do I look?"

Waiting patiently as a moment of silence lingered, the passing of bystanders around them made her shoes draw closer together, and her fingers tightened around her wrist.

"You're... Well, if I'm to be completely honest... You look absolutely marvelous, Maho."

Chin sinking, and eyes lowering closed in a flutter of delight, her head turned away slightly, and her arms separated, hiding bashfully behind herself.

"Thank you."

Eyes meeting, and several silent expressions darkening helplessly from overwhelming blushes, Okabe's hand rose, rubbing the back of his neck in a glance towards their surroundings.

"...Suppose we ought to get out of the way of the entrance."

"I was starting to wonder how long you'd stay there."

At first laughing lightly from her comment, he then watched with momentary awe as she turned in place, revealing the remainder of her outfit and the gathering of her hair, skillfully arranged behind her head and bobbing slightly as she began walking back into the courtyard. Eyes descending along her bodily figure, and then flitting back upward, he began following as her head turned aside, with a familiar, confident smile visible among the pink of her cheeks, beckoning him to follow.

"So you, uh, you said you'd like to wander. Like before, right?"

Drawing up beside her, and then standing firm as she rotated with a toss of her hair and a ripple of her skirt, her brilliant eyes drew slightly closer as she rose onto the tips of her toes, playfully leaning closer towards him.

"I would. If that's alright with you."

"O-Of course it is."

"And after a while, we could find a place to enjoy dinner... And from there, who knows."

"Sounds like a solid plan."

"Mmmhm. Leaves room for variances and variables throughout."

"Exploring a randomized algorithm?"

"Isn't that what we do every day?"

"Perhaps."

Rocking back onto her heels, and then settling flat on her feet, Maho's eyes brimmed with excitement.

_This is happening. He's right here in front of me, and..._

Bursting into a giggle of delight, her eyelids lowered as a cold breath pulled into her lungs.

"...Then let's go wander, huh?"

"Yes. Agreed."

Revolving into a matching heading towards the passage alongside the station, drifting past dozens of individuals and groups, both computer scientists listened to their ongoing footfall among a moment of shared silence. Then, maybe a dozen steps later, Okabe's pace drifted to a halt once more, and she stopped on her heel, only to watch with a rise of her brow as his hand drew closer, turning over in an opening of his palm.

"May I?"

Peeking up towards him with a perked eyebrow, the trace of a smile on her lips blossomed, and her slender arm rose, lifting her smaller palm up onto his in a delicate landing of her digits.

"Absolutely."

Securing their hands with a curl of thumbs and fingertips, his arm slackened to a comfortable height, and her vision returned to the street ahead as they resumed walking. Gripping his hand as a comforting sense of warmth bloomed between their palms, chasing the winter's cold away, her other hand buried itself beneath the folds of her coat on her bag, leaving only her face exposed to the late January air.

_I was hoping you'd do that, actually._

* * *

Wandering into what appeared to be a roof-covered alley, several dozen shoppers of varying ages and appearances quietly browsed among a plethora of boxed and bagged parts and components, with stacks and rows of items decorating the ends and interiors of numerous stands, kiosks, and small shops. Lining both sides of the narrow pavilion, an endless variety of computer electronics and gadgetry offered a commanding display of Akihabara's hidden, older market, leaving Maho wide eyed with wonder as her eyes explored the area in all directions.

"Places like this, are why everyone used to call Akiba the electric town."

"I can see why... Oh my gosh."

"One could build dozens of computers from the ground up with everything in here."

"Is this where you got everything for your own project?"

"A fair amount. Like I told you, some of the higher ticket things came through the generosity of Tokyo Denki."

Looking aside with a cheeky smile, her eyes continued wandering.

_Huh. That sounds awfully familiar._

"Over there is where we got the two towers with decals... And that shop with all of the GPUs, is where we got two of the four GTX six-eighties in them."

Eyes following his passively pointed finger, towards a kiosk lined with a colorful variety of graphics cards lining the walls, Maho's eyes wandered across a wide variety of names and numbers printed onto them.

"Top of the line?"

"Used to be."

"Really? Don't tell me they're already obsolete..."

"As of a few months ago, yes."

Glancing up towards Okabe as his eyes scrutinized the offerings of the kiosk beside them both, Maho's lips parted with curiosity.

"How is that possible?"

"Graphics cards are under constant development. Every year there's something better released, and the prior generations are slowly left behind."

"Huh."

"Just the nature of the industry. You wrote about the bell-curve of storage space having an exponential increase as time goes on... Graphics cards have been doing the same thing for a while. They just keep getting better and better."

"So when do you think you'll swap out your current cards?"

"Typically Daru and I wait for prices to settle on newer models. Especially with our setup doing twin-SLI mounting, buying four brand new cards at retail value would instantly bankrupt us. So we wait, and keep an eye out for when the cost starts to fall."

"Wouldn't waiting like that just perpetuate the problem of obsolescence?"

"It can, and that's a good point. Waiting for sales is always a tricky game of timing, but we've mastered it by this point. Thankfully the market we buy from also allows us to trade in used components. Dumping all four of our current cards might take off half of the price for new ones if we play our cards right."

"Mmm, thrifty."

"Always gotta be, around here."

Walking further, and encountering a shop full of refurbished laptops, an errant thought from a prior day wandered back into Maho's conscious, and she gently towed Okabe over, inspecting the wide variety of portable computers present.

"Thinking about an upgrade...?"

"Kind of. Was actually going to ask you at some point... How viable would modifying a laptop be?"

Touching his chin with his free hand, Okabe's vision rose to several spare keyboards higher up on display.

"Depends on the manufacturer, and the available hardware."

"Yeah?"

"...As well as the overall size and quality of construction. Lots of laptops aren't meant to be taken apart too readily."

"Hmmm... What about something by ASUS?"

Squinting towards Maho with interest, Okabe's finger tapped on his chin.

"What's the series, and model number?"

"Eh, honestly I wouldn't remember it off the top of my head. I'll have to find out later on."

"Well, regardless, I can see what's out there if you want... But specifics help, obviously."

"For sure. I'll let you know by tomorrow or so."

Hand lowering from his chin, both of them turned in place and continued onward.

"What are you trying to upgrade?"

"Just curious about what _can_ be upgraded, really."

"Ah, well, you can definitely improve RAM and the hard drive for starters."

"Graphics?"

"Nope. Those are integrated into the motherboard, sadly."

"Oh."

"A few other bits can be improved too. If you were really serious, better quality fans can help with heat. Unless you're the sort with one of those vent platform things."

"Don't have one, actually."

"Mm. In any case, there's certainly things can you swap out, but there's a lot less flexibility than a desktop computer. Size being the biggest limiter, really."

"The sacrifices of portability."

"Alas."

Glimpsing a splash of color a short distance ahead, Maho's attention focused on an upcoming stall, only to discover the unusual sight of several hundred computer mice, lined up in numerous rows and arranged in a wide variety of colors, shapes and features, with several actively strobing and glowing with light.

"Whoa! They can change color?"

"If they have LEDs."

"That's awesome!"

Dragging Okabe over with excitement, Maho stood on her toes, poring over the endless dozens of choices.

"...Do you not have a mouse?"

"Been thinking about getting one. The finger pad on my laptop has been pissing me off lately."

"Then pick one out. Most of these are only fifteen-hundred Yen."

"I like this one. _Ohh_ , but that one has stars... If only that one glowed with stars... That'd be perfect."

"Ever consider a wireless one?"

"Not really. I feel like I'd misplace it too easily."

Mouth curling with amusement, Okabe exchanged a smile with the owner of the kiosk seated just beyond as incoherent mumbles continued from Maho's musing over the selection.

_Guess going wireless isn't for everyone..._

"Alright. I can't resist the way that one looks with the moving color... How much?"

"Seventeen hundred, young lady."

"Done."

Fishing out her wallet from her shoulder bag, and handing over several notes, she was then given the same type of color-changing mouse in brand new packaging, which was then clutched in her arm, and she turned up to Okabe with a mirth-addled hum after stowing her wallet away.

"What else do they have around here?"

"Plenty of things. Anything else you might need for your laptop? As far as peripherals?"

"I'm not sure."

"How's the battery?"

"It sucks. Hardly lasts so I leave it plugged in."

"Let's rectify that."

"Hm? They sell spares?"

"Of course they do. You said it was an ASUS model, right?"

Mouth opening with slight disbelief, she nodded.

"Uh huh."

Allowing Okabe to lead her along this time, Maho watched as he seemed to home in on another kiosk, slipping past several people until a vendor of batteries appeared before them.

"Remember what year you bought it?"

"Twenty-ten."

"New?"

"Yeah."

Releasing her hand, and pulling his own wallet from his left pocket, Okabe pointed towards one particular package, and in a wordless exchange, traded several Yen notes of his own, for an OEM laptop battery, leaving Maho blinking with great surprise as Okabe offered a bow of thanks to the vendor, before turning to her with a growing smile.

"But..."

"Here."

Inhaling with ongoing surprise as he handed the packaged battery to her, her head sunk into her shoulder as she collected the rectangular object in her hand.

"You didn't have to do that... I-I mean... Thank you, but..."

"Batteries start losing charge capacity after a while. So now you'll be good for another two years."

Peeking down at the package, her cheeks remaining pink from the temperature and from his generosity, she looked over the name of the component listed on a sticker.

"Okabe-san... How much did this just cost?"

"Twenty-one hundred yen. Didn't break the bank, in case you were wondering."

Eyelids settling closed, a warm smile spread across her features.

"Alright. Since you insist..."

Peeking open as his fingers brushed against her other palm, collecting a hold of her digits, her arm rose in response, and she skipped into motion as he began in a new direction through the marketplace.

"What's next?"

"Just remembered something else I wanted to look into."

"Yeah?"

"You'll see. Kind of related to your LED mouse there."

"Oooh."

Watching with ongoing interest as he squinted in several directions for fleeting moments while walking, Maho's cheeks remained rosy from the humorous sight of his expressions.

_Nothing quite like the passion of a hobby... Is there?_

* * *

Walking out from beneath the roof of the electronics market, Maho pried apart the buckles of her bag and shoved the laptop battery and mouse inside.

_Some of the best gifts... Are the useful utilitarian ones. I can't wait to try both of these out. Should make that laptop of mine far less aggravating to use._

Looking across, seeing two packages of large diameter tower fans seated inside a plastic bag in his grasp, Maho motioned towards the bag, and with a swift handover, she tucked the additional purchases into her shoulder bag, tossing the flap over and clicking the buckles back together.

"Why'd you buy fans anyway? Isn't your computer water cooled?"

"It is, but there's still mounting points on the cases, and frankly I'm tired of how much dust seems to come in from above... So I'm going to try having fans blow outward from the tops of the cases."

"I'm sure it'll help the temperature too."

"A slight amount. I'd have to add more to create proper airflow, but that starts to negates the purpose of the water-cooling setup, which already wasn't cheap."

"Hmmm. Your experimentation may never cease, Okabe-san."

"I've long accepted that fate, since Daru and I embarked upon building the damn thing."

Chin rising from his own cryptic statement, Okabe then peeped towards her with one eye open.

"Now that you've glimpsed the old underground heritage of Akiba... What's next on the itinerary?"

Touching her finger to her chin in a mimicking motion, she simply shrugged.

"I dunno. Let's see what else is around here."

"A wide variety of places. Any interest in particular?"

"Mmm, not really."

Keeping pace with Maho as she happily strolled along the sidewalk with an ongoing hum, Okabe quietly exhaled, smiling as he was led along through crowds of pedestrians by the eager young woman.

_I guess predictability on a date is a boring notion... So lead on, miss Hiyajo, and fear not about getting lost... I've been everywhere in the area._

* * *

Slowing to a halt a good distance later, her arm rose up towards the vertical length of a narrow red sign, mounted high up on the flat-sided facade of a dark blue building.

"What's... _Mandarake?_ "

"A hobby shop... Of sorts. Eight floors of varying obsessions."

"Eight? With what, scale models and things?"

"Yes, and toys, figures, video games, manga and doujinshi... Really anything that constitutes a collectible hobby, resides in there."

Seeing her face illuminate with increasing excitement, she began towards the entrance in a resumption of motion.

"Sounds awesome! Lets check it out!"

Hopping up onto the sidewalk and pressing through the doors, a warm current of heated air met their faces, immediately bringing sighs of relief out of both of them. Seconds later, Maho screeched to a halt, greeted by the expanse of checkout counters surrounded by staff and customers, and several shelves lining the windows with toys and curios new and old.

"Huh."

"This is where everyone buys and sells stuff."

"Wait... You can resell things?"

"Of course."

"Back in America we have eBay for that."

"We have it too. But here you have direct access to the local market. No shipping necessary."

Pressing further in among the movements of customers, a large poster displayed a worded directory of the store, alternating between Kanji and English.

"Oh my gosh... Levels six and seven sound amazing. Where should I start?"

"Anywhere."

Looking at Okabe, she then blinked as he gently released her hand from his grasp.

"You said you wanted to wander... Go for it. There's seven floors above us to explore."

Seeing a hint of teeth appear among half of a grin, a giggle wandered from her lungs as she brushed past other customers and jogged up the first set of stairs, only to spin around in place.

"Are you... Going to explore too?"

"I will, don't worry. Why don't you contact me when you're ready to go elsewhere."

"Okay!"

Watching as the joyful expression on her elfin face vanished in a turn, with her black and green attire disappearing from sight as she moved further up the stairs, Okabe's head turned, inspecting his surroundings with slowly increasing interest.

_Might be here for a while... But that's alright. I doubt she's ever been in a place as big and varied as this, back in America._

Stepping forward in a delayed following and looking up through the stairwell opening, a fleeting view of her slender arm and dark hair met his eyes as she disappeared around a corner higher up, and a single laugh left his lungs.

_She's probably already headed for the upper floors... That's where the good stuff starts being found. I bet she's going to come back with armfuls of things by the end._

* * *

Stepping past an aisle on the second floor, the sudden reappearance of Maho's limited stature in the distance slowed Okabe's movement. Taking another step just out of sight and leaning back around the corner of the wall, he watched in a discreet moment of amusement as her hands remained clasped together in front of her collarbone, a starry-eyed grin of adoration plastered on her face as she looked left and right at dozens of plushies large and small lining the shelves.

_This is where Mayuri found her Upa. Perhaps you'll find a new friend too, Maho... Especially with that expression you're making. I didn't realize you were the sort to care for plushies._

Backing out of sight as her face turned slightly towards him, he began further up the stairs, thumbs tucking into his pockets.

_I think I'll be keeping this floor in mind, actually._

A short distance away, Maho's attention flitted over towards the end of the room, brow quirking from a glimpse of something moving in the corner of her eye.

_Huh. I thought someone was there for a second... Guess all these squishy faces and big eyes are making me see things... Hehe. They're all so cute!_

Taking several steps aside, head tilting, she reached out and squeezed the cheek of one particular stuffed creature.

_So soft too... I could just snooze in a giant pile of all of you and be happy and comfy._

Imagining the comfort of the bed back in her hotel room, her mind then took a different path, darkening her cheeks.

_...Could also snooze in a cuddle with someone, and be really happy and comfy._

Vision rising up, and then over towards the distant wall of the building, she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, and then retrieved her phone after a pause.

_I wonder if he's found something... Let's see which floor he's on._

* * *

Browsing through a jam-packed selection of computer game titles on the sixth floor, Okabe's index finger rested onto the case of one in particular, pulling it out for a glance at the cover.

_428 Shibuya Scramble... Isn't that what Canaan was based from?_

Blinking as his pocket vibrated, he pushed the title back into the shelf from the chirp of an inbound text message. Tugging his phone from his pocket, he opened the message inbox, discovering it was from Maho.

'Where are you?'

'Floor 6'

'Oh. Working my way up.'

'Take your time.'

'I am ^_^ About to go to seven.'

'Do it.'

Pocketing his phone again, a smile crept across his lips.

_Wasn't sure about leaving her alone at first but... She seems to be doing fine._

* * *

_Hmmm..._

Looking at a display of HO and N scale trains lining several shelves, and then turning towards a wide variety of model aircraft on display among stacks of boxes, Maho cautiously maneuvered through a plethora of scale models housed on the seventh floor. Eyes remaining narrow and focused, and her arms crossed below, she thoroughly inspected the varying colors and details of vehicles and spaceships, both assembled and portrayed on unopened boxes.

_If I knew a place like this had beauties like these... I'd have come in here long ago. Some of these are amazing... Ooh, what's this?_

Peering closer at the painted depiction of a world war two submarine on a plastic-sealed box, her arms loosened, tempted to reach for it.

_Type Seven-C U-boat of the Kreigsmarine... You'd go good with my other vessel back home._

Staring at the kit, her lips pursed from the fleeting temptation, only for her feet to bring herself a step back.

_You would, but... Damn. Maybe some other time. Since I'm on a date and everything._

Revolving in place, she began towards the room's entrance with a sigh.

_Not sure how I could pack a fragile model for airline travel anyway..._

Turning around the corner of the exit, Maho suddenly found herself encountering Okabe on an upward heading along the stairs. Halting as her arms and a smile both spread, she walked directly into his chest and buried her face into the crimson fabric of his shirt, squeezing his sides with her slender arms in a firm embrace.

"Oof."

"Hellooo."

Laughing lightly from her muffled greeting, and curling his arms around her shoulders in a gentle embrace, she peeked up at him, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Did you... Find anything you like?"

"Oh yeah. Thought about a few, but... Nothing I can't live without in the end."

"Resisting impulse buys is tough."

"Yeah. Got real difficult a few times. Almost grabbed a kit of a submarine a minute ago."

"Oh? Fancy yourself a ship builder?"

"Now and then. I have a model of the Prinz Eugen I built, back in my dormitory."

"Really?"

Releasing herself from the embrace, her arms propped onto her sides with pride.

"Yep. Tamiya, one-seven-hundredth scale. Sits in a case on my desk."

"Huh."

"Bet you didn't expect a lady like me to have the patience for model kits."

Shrugging from the pointed, cheeky smirk on her face, Okabe leaned back, trying to save face as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"N-Not necessarily. Like I said, people are surprising. Frankly that's rather neat, anyway."

"Have you built any models, Okabe-san?"

"A few when I was younger, but... Nothing too impressive."

"Hmm... Maybe you should try it again."

"Maybe."

"In any case... This place is amazing. They literally do have everything in between for the common nerd."

" _Otaku_."

"Huh?"

"That's our word for what you said."

"Are you an otaku then?"

"Ahh, not quite... Its more of a term related to people obsessed with anime and manga anyway. Daru is a perfect example of one."

"Hmm... Sounds more like a stereotype then."

"The connotation depends on who's saying it."

Tilting her head, Maho watched as Okabe's hands disappeared behind his back.

"A-Anyway, were you still wanting to browse some more?"

"I think I've seen what I wanted to... Plus I've resisted buying anything so far. If I stay any longer, my wallet might end up suffering."

Grunting with amusement, he then stepped aside, gesturing towards the stairs just beyond.

"Fair enough. Let's continue our adventure then."

Waiting patiently as she brushed past, the folds of her skirt teasingly caressing his pants, he watched her carefully descend, step-by-step. Turning to follow, his vision cautiously inspected her backside, watching with fascination as the gathered mass of her dark hair gently swayed back and forth across her shoulder blades.

_From hip length to shoulder length... Her mighty mane can be tamed after all._

* * *

Shrouded in their respective coats, both Okabe and Maho continued a leisurely walk along the city streets, nearing the Crossfield UDX center in an eastbound heading as the sky continued to darken from a full overcast above. Passively studying the slow approach of the pedestrian bridge spanning the adjacent street, its concrete supports visible beyond the bare trees planted in the sidewalk, Maho's heart remained in a steady beat, listening to the sounds of the city emanating around them.

_Okabe... Maybe I've underestimated your sense of adventure as a city boy. You seem to know every part of this district. Strolling around with unconcerned impunity, in a place where there's thousands of people in every square mile, and much more than meets the eye. Maybe you've just been on a different kind of adventure, living here in Tokyo since you were young. If a big city world is all you've known... Who's to say you'd rather be somewhere else?_

Remembering a series of vignettes of a busy and smoggy southern California, only a spare few years prior, her vision rose to the steel underside of the bridge as they entered its shadow.

_I live in a big city now. But I know I'd rather be somewhere else._

Imagery of sunshine and palm trees from both sides of the pacific ocean entered her mind, and a puff of steam exited her parted lips, vanishing among the gloom of the clouds beyond.

_Could I trade one city for the other? Maybe if there was enough personal benefit to reason it... I could._

Drifting towards the sight of a hand curled around her own, her eyes flitted up to the ridge of his jaw, luring her further up towards the well-defined features of his face as he looked on.

_I wouldn't mind being closer to Okinawa... And maybe closer to you._

Turning away, a murmur buzzed in her throat from the thought.

_Its not like it would be a big culture shock either. You're a local denizen... Hell, you're my own personal tour guide right now. Where were you when I first arrived here? I sure could've used your guidance three weeks ago, instead of hiding in that hotel room._

Squinting from a wayward breeze, her ears tingled from the short-lived swirl of cold air.

_Oh well. As with all of these sorts of things... Better late than never._

Peeking towards her in the corner of his eye, seeing her attention was now drawn elsewhere, Okabe fondly studied her appearance with a further turn.

_You sure are dressed nice for our errant exploring... I certainly didn't expect the transformation into the marvel that you are right now... But I hope you realize you are someone to behold, regardless of your state of dress._

Hands tightening with a stirring of his heart, a chuckle intended to be restrained, escaped his throat instead.

_You probably haven't even noticed half of the people looking our way... Maho._

Blinking as another breeze pushed through the air, playfully tossing free hair up along her cheek and neck, his hands tightened as she looked directly at him, her irides reflecting newly illuminating street lamps just beyond.

_And that... I could never tire of such a lovely sight, good heavens._

Waiting patiently as her pink cheeks offered a hint of a returning smile, only to wander away as she looked ahead, an unexpectedly heavy sigh stole the air from his lungs.

_It truly is a shame you'll soon be on your way home... Or whatever you may consider it to be. You speak fondly of Okinawa... Perhaps that's where you'd really rather be, miss Hiyajo. Though if I were to offer my opinion..._

Eyelids lowering as they drew to a halt at the corner of an intersection, he gazed pensively at the broad stripes on the pavement, sparkling from the passing of car and truck headlights.

_...You'd still be much closer, if you lived here in Tokyo._

* * *

"...As you could probably tell by the crowds, everybody tends to frequent the west side of the area more. Most of the landmarks and places that Akiba is known for, are back behind the Yamanote line we just walked under."

"Are you implying there's nothing out here?"

"Incorrect. There's plenty of points of interest this way."

"Oh. So where does Akiba actually end then?"

Following the direction of his index finger as it extended into the distance, the silhouette of an elevated roadway appeared beyond an upcoming intersection.

"Showa-Dori, and the Hibiya Metro."

"That bridge?"

"That one indeed. The highway is pretty much the eastern boundary. Beyond that is Kanda Izu-Oh, uh, hold on..."

Interrupting himself and suddenly releasing her hand, Okabe sank down in a kneel, and Maho watched as his height plummeted beneath her own, fingers wrestling with undone laces.

"Almost lost your shoe, huh?"

"Not even sure when this happened... Rapscallion."

At first amused by his word choice, a cheeky thought entered Maho's mind, silently spreading a grin across her puffy cheeks.

"There's, um, something on your nose."

"Hm?"

Tugging the knot of his dress shoe tight, Okabe's head rose with confusion, only to blink with a start as Maho's index finger nudged against the tip of his nose.

" _Boop_. Gotcha."

Bursting into a sweet giggle from the perplexed expression, and then laughing harder as he briefly went cross-eyed, he found himself unable to resist laughter of his own.

"Guess so."

Exhaling as the laughs faded, with mirth lingering on, her hand drifted over in a spread of her digits, cupping the side of his chin in her palm. With a cautious glance of his eyes towards her arm, and then back up to her parted lips, he remained in place as the surface of her thumb drifted along the shaved stubble on his chin.

"You're... Warm."

"So I've heard."

Squeezing the inside of her coat pocket from his near-whisper, her other hand lowered from his face, scooping his free palm back into her grasp, and playfully lifting him upright, watching with momentary wonder as he seemed to tower over her again.

_Warm, and tall, and..._

Vision settling on their held hands again, her heart ached with strong, ongoing emotion.

_...I should have kissed you. Right then, while you were kneeling._

Head turning aside in a fleeting wash of regret, her grip on his knuckles strengthened, only to find her arm rising higher, returning her attention to him with a slight delay.

"Are you hungry?"

Eyelashes fluttering, only for her stomach to answer with a grumble of its own, her shoulders tightened from the audible sound.

"Getting there."

"Same. Anything your palate fancies?"

"Something filling, with meat. Western, or European, maybe."

Touching his hand to his chin, realizing the particular intersection they stood near, an old memory entered his head in a synapse of recall.

"As it happens, there's a huge place down the way with probably a dozen restaurants inside."

"Oooh. Plenty of variety is good."

"I believe it goes by the name Chomp Chomp."

Cracking into a single laugh from the name meeting her ears, Maho looked at their surroundings.

"Seriously?"

"Fairly certain. Its just south of the station again, that way. We can check it out if you want."

"Is it all Japanese?"

"There's several western themed bars and places."

"Heck yes. Let's go!"

* * *

**Niku Baru MARGO, Chomp Chomp Akihabara; Kanda Sakuma-cho, Tokyo; 7:03p.m.**

Seated under the soft glow of low lighting, and bathed in the cozy temperature of the restaurant's interior, alternating aromas of rich sauces and fresh flanks of meat spread throughout the cloud of calm conversation in the air, with hints of smooth stained wood furniture blending with a persistently lingering fragrance of wine. In much closer proximity, however, two large platters lay on the table between a duo of well-dressed computer scientists, one piled with a quintet of half-consumed cuts of meat and sausage, and the other hosting a blended mixture of sweet and spicy chicken, paired with steamed vegetables, and both equally smothered in melted cheese.

Alternating between an available selection of lamb chop, grilled chicken, lean beef, roast pork, and sausage, Maho's mouth remained full and happily at work, a blush of sheer enjoyment remaining on her busy cheeks from the ongoing mouthfuls of savory, seasoned protein.

_Ohhh, I'm in heaven... And my angel of a tour guide is sitting across from me._

Chewing steadily, she waited patiently as he cautiously peeked up beneath his brow, and an already mirthy smile stretched further as his nose wrinkled with amusement, before both of their attentions returned to their meals.

_This pile of meaty goodness is impossibly tasty. Tender and juicy and... Just an unending mouthgasm of magnificent noms. I'm going to eat all of you, and it's going to be amazing._

A short-lived smirk greeted her features seconds before a swallow, and she promptly speared the next serving, severing it from the rest with a swipe of her knife. Stuffing it in her mouth, and then resting the fork on her platter as she chewed, her eyes returned to Okabe's dish with ongoing curiosity.

_Although... His spicy and cheesy setup looks pretty tasty too. Must be, considering the lip smacking and goofy faces he's been making..._

Looking back and forth at their respective dishes, she swallowed her mouthful with a mighty gulp, and after a splash of water from a nearby glass, she cautiously slid her platter towards Okabe, garnering his attention with a rise of his head.

"I'd... Love to try some of that."

Eyebrow rising, he then pointed his fork towards the cuts of meat between them.

"Only if I get some of yours."

"Oh, go for it. Pick whatever you want."

Inspecting the offerings, he then speared three separate cuts onto his fork in sequence, and deposited them onto his plate. Then with a nudge of his dish closer to hers, he transferred a cheese-covered dollop of his own spicy chicken and vegetables, finishing the task with a thump of his hand on the table, emptying the tangs of the fork.

"There."

"Yay, thank you."

Drawing her platter back once more, and immediately going for the new offering, she gathered a portion onto her utensil, and with zero hesitation, delivered it into her mouth.

_Oho wow, that is spicy. Kinda sneaks up on you... Hmm. I wonder what kind of cheese this is... Sure is a different taste. Sweet and spicy, and cheesy. Yummy._

Sliding her fork free from her lips and turning it in her fingers, she casually looked aside to the nearest window, only to pause from the oddly blurry, moving sight that met her eyes. Peeking closer, finally discerning snowflakes innocently falling among the countless lights of the city outside, a breath pulled into her nose, hastening another swallow.

"It's snowing."

Bringing Okabe's attention to the same sight from her whisper, she studied the silent weather phenomenon with increasing interest. Then, in a mysteriously long moment, the consumption of their dinner ceased as they both remained drawn to the sight, through trickles and droplets of water on the glass.

"There was a chance of it."

"Seventy percent when I last checked."

"Now to see if it will stick..."

"Aww, but I don't have boots on."

Tilting towards Maho with a quirk of his eyebrow, Okabe shook his head slightly.

"Pretty unlikely you'll be needing a pair."

"You say that, but it could suddenly start dumping on us."

"Not with how disappointing the weather's attempts have been, as of late."

"Yeah? You sound like you've been through a few blizzards. Talking all curmudgeonly like that."

"I have."

"Like what, a foot of snow?"

"Yes."

Blinking from his straight-faced answer, Maho straightened her posture.

"I didn't know that could happen here in Tokyo."

"Its true. Brought the whole city nearly to a standstill for a few days."

"Dang."

Observing the continued descent of snowflakes for a moment longer, both of them slowly drifted back to their meals, only for Okabe's arms to slacken.

"Did it ever snow in Okinawa?"

Seeing her head tilt aside in a search of memory, Maho's expression then turned pensive.

"I don't remember. Probably not."

"Hmm. Guess that's silly considering the tropical climate."

"Its snowed in California, but, I guess that's not totally tropical, actually."

"In the mountains, right?"

"Yeah. Too warm on the coast for it to last."

"Your experience with snowfall sounds rather limited."

"It is. I'm a warm-blooded woman. Sunny days and mild nights are unbeatable."

"You seem to be surviving our cloudy days and cold evenings here."

"Cause you've been around to keep me warm... Okabe."

Neck warming from the fondness in her voice and expression, he slowly shrugged.

"Well... I guess I can't help the fact that I radiate heat."

"You sure do. With that sweater, and that coat... And that smile."

Looking away bashfully from Maho's teasing words, Okabe's cheeks grew helplessly rosy.

"I-I suppose."

Fighting past the mirth, he finally managed to bring another scoop of food into his mouth, and Maho suddenly slid aside from her seat, rising to her feet with her wallet in hand.

"Going to get something... Be right back."

Following her movements over his shoulder as she walked past, heading for the nearby bar, his chewing slowed as she calmly strolled up to the counter, and within moments, offered two separate cards, and stood patiently on her toes, arms resting on the counter.

_Getting a drink?_

Swallowing with continued observation, a narrow, tall glass appeared two minutes later with an orange and red mixture inside, and with a retrieval of the cards back into her wallet, she plucked the beverage from the counter with a smile.

_Guess she is twenty-three, after all._

Heading back to the table, their eyes met in a moment's glimpse as she strolled over, setting the glass onto the table with delicacy before seating herself.

"That a cocktail?"

"Mmhm. Malibu."

Sticking the straw into her mouth, her cheeks sucked inward, and her mouth puckered with delight from the explosion of flavor.

_Yum!_

"...Whats in it?"

"Mango and cranberry juice, and rum."

"Ah."

Continuing several gulps, the liquid inside the glass began vanishing in a gradual lowering, and with half of the beverage now gone, Maho slumped back with a satisfied exhale, her tongue sneaking out and running across her upper lip.

"That's good."

"Clearly."

Flashing a smile from Okabe's wayward comment, she took hold of the utensils resting on her plate and began into the remainder of her dinner, polishing off several cuts of meat and swabbing leftover cheese with a slice of sausage.

"You're... Twenty, right?"

Hands pausing from the query, Okabe nodded.

"As of last month."

Fingers combining on the handle of her fork, Maho's chin lifted.

"Oh. Happy belated birthday then."

"Thank you."

"You could get something to drink too, if you wanted."

"I'll have to pass."

"Not one for alcohol?"

Hands resting around his plate, Okabe's eyes slowly rolled.

"People at my college do it at social outings but... I personally don't care for it right now."

"Fair enough. Social stigmas like that are no good anyway."

"I imagine its just as bad in America."

"Absolutely terrible."

"Yeah?"

Swallowing another mouthful after his drawl, Maho nodded.

"I'll sometimes drink at the rare few parties I go to avoid being awkward, but... I'd rather enjoy something on my own, like this, when I feel like it."

"I could probably handle that, but chugging cans of beer is not very enjoyable in my eyes."

"Yeah, don't do that. Harder liquor gets you going easier anyway."

"Speaking from experience?"

Sliding the beverage closer with a resumption of her cheeky smile, she silently answered his question as more of the cocktail disappeared through the straw.

"...I take that as a yes."

Bursting into a giggle from his humored conclusion, the straw drifted around the rim of the glass as she pushed it away again. Folding her arms on top of each other on the edge of the table, she remained in a rosy-cheeked smile, and Okabe chuckled from the adorable expression across the table.

"Don't lose track of your dinner now."

"I'm not. Just taking a break."

Lazily pointing towards his plate in a brief rise of her hand, her brow quirked.

"You going to finish yours?"

"More than likely."

"Darn. Don't be afraid to save some for leftovers."

"So you can have it?"

"Maybe."

Grunting, his nose wrinkled from her growing mirth.

"I saw how well that evil plan worked out last time."

"I know you did. Leftovers are easy pickings."

"Shrewd with sustenance till the end."

"A woman's gotta eat, doesn't she?"

"Especially with your incomparable appetite."

"Got that right. My metabolism is a scientific wonder of the world."

Trying to restrain a laugh from her quip, Okabe slowly peered up towards her, but as soon as their eyes met, the smiles on their faces erupted into a storm of laughter.

"You... Oh my gosh."

Pressing her palm into her face as her chest shook, Maho flopped back in her seat. Peeking through a slit between her fingers, however, Okabe's shaking shoulders tickled her into a new round of giggling, nostrils flaring with interchanging breath. With another look, the genuine grin revealing his teeth caught her attention, and her hand lowered from her face as her breathing settled.

"You're... Hilarious when you laugh."

"Thank you."

Nodding in answer, she then eyed his lips with a resumption of interest.

_...And cute as hell when you smile like that.  
_

* * *

Nudging an empty plate aside, Maho's head sank onto her hand, propped above the table on her arm. With a full belly reflecting a well-satiated appetite, she remained in a calm state, gazing at Okabe as he slowly concluded a meal that he himself was thoroughly enjoying.

_No leftovers, huh? Powering through that goodness like a champ... Guess you're as tall as you are for a reason._

Sliding her cocktail over, and lazily finding the end of the straw, she sucked another swallow of the beverage through the straw. Pushing it only half the distance back, her fingers remained curled around the thin neck of glass, and she resumed her gaze at the handsome young man across the table.

_Six foot and sweet as can be. Where have you been my whole life...?_

"I've been thinking, Maho."

"Nnnyeah? About what?"

"Okinawa."

Tilting her head upright, her eyelashes fluttered in several blinks.

"Yeah?"

"You've always talked fondly of the island... Honestly I'd be interested in visiting it. Per your recommendations and advice, of course."

Exhaling as he set his utensils on his empty platter, and then looking directly at her, she nodded repeatedly.

"You should."

"I think I will."

"You definitely should. You might really like it."

"I mean, any kind of tropical getaway from a city life sounds good, but your memories give it so much more character."

Shoulders lifting and settling in a shrug, her thumb rubbed back and forth on the wide bottom of the glass in her hand.

"That's what happens when you grow up someplace... You know all of the details and descriptors. Kinda like you and this city."

"I only grew up in Ikebukero, but, I suppose."

"Regardless. Definitely go and visit when you can."

"I'll keep it in mind."

Heart aching from the prospect of a long-awaited return, a sigh seeped from her nose.

_You should visit it, with me. And with you there, with me, I don't think there will be any other place in the world... That I'd rather be._

* * *

Walking side by side beneath the brooding, windless blanket of overcast cloud cover, the sounds of an ever-busy metropolis remained muffled under a dusting of lazily falling snow from the night sky. Peeking back at the footprints left behind from their differently sized shoes, Maho's attention wandered back up to Okabe's chin, silhouetted against the spread of the umbrella in his hand, and her grip on his palm squeezed slightly tighter, absorbing the comfortable warmth of his fingers between her own.

_That dinner was legendary. This whole evening has been unbelievably nice... With you, the one lacking in dating experience... How does someone like you even exist?_

Realizing with a turn that her attention was solely focused on him, Okabe looked aside, a bashful smile tinting his cheeks from her innocent gaze of admiration.

_There's that look again... With those emerald gems shining with adoration and curiosity... Damnitall, she's beautiful. Petite perfection. How does someone like you even exist?_

After a short period of silence, only overlapped by the rapidity of their heartbeats, the couple drew alongside the low wall of a planter with several bare trees residing within. After a moment of observation, Maho's hand slipped from Okabe's grasp, and she shuffled over to the planter, hoisting herself up onto the wide bricks of the retaining wall. Slowing to a stop on the wet sidewalk, Okabe turned bodily to the young woman as she drew to a halt beside him, slightly higher in elevation, with arms crossed below a red-cheeked, confident smile.

"Now I'm looking down at you, Okabe."

Eyebrow rising in amusement from the sight, he leaned back slightly, admiring the fiery mirth in her expression.

_A short joke, hm?_

Blinking passively, a breath of interest left his nose.

"In my eyes, Hiyajo-san, it doesn't matter who's looking up or down... Just as long as they see eye-to-eye."

Seeing her familiar furrow of scrutinization begin, only to halt in realization, the glints of her green eyes widened with unexpected dilation, and her mouth drew in a delicate inhale.

_Oh you... Smooth fox! I was making fun of myself, and you just..._

Face sinking, unable to resist the grin of delight that followed, her vision wandered to the umbrella in her grasp, and she tingled with blooming anticipation.

"...Hey."

"Yes?"

"Can you hold this?"

Extending her arm towards him, he readily moved closer to accept the object.

"Oh, of course."

Waiting until his fingers curled around the handle, her free arm then reached over to his face, palm curling around the ridge of his shaved chin like before. Startling him from the colder temperature of her digits against his face, she carefully stepped forward, resting her other hand onto his shoulder, keeping him in place. Then, with hardly a second to assess her cleverness, her face drew in, capturing him in the intoxicating intimacy of a kiss.

Captive in the sensory enrapture of her lips, and the soft shift of her locks of dark hair resting against him, a hint of prior alcohol was discovered as her tongue slithered against his own, mingling with the pleasant scent of shampoo meeting his nose as he breathed. Listening distractedly to the small sounds of shuffling cloth and moist lips, cheek warm from her small palm, he then began into an oddly automatic motion, arms carefully slipping around the sides of her olive green coat, tucking the outer layer closer against the blouse beneath. Hearing a murmur wander from the depths of her throat, only for her lips to drift apart from his own, he stepped closer to the wall, eyes opening as she tucked herself against the fabric of his suit coat, nuzzling his shoulder.

_Okabe..._

Inhaling from the cautious tightening of his arms, at first ticklish, and then comfortingly secure, she draped herself against him bodily, locking her hands together in a firm hold behind his neck. With a subtle lift upward around her waist, her legs curled, and she found herself held aloft within the secure, unfettered embrace of the younger college student. Moving with him as he took two individual steps back from the wall, her eyes flitted open, seeing blurry hints of snowflakes and headlights of cars passing in the distance.

_...You should hug me forever. Okay? Or maybe just as long as you want... That would be fine too._

Head turning, trapping a thick tuft of her hair against his face, her nose settled into the crook of his neck, eyelids lazily closing.

_Right now... And earlier... These past couple of hours have been amazing._

Realizing half a minute later that she was physically sinking, the front tips of her bow-tied shoes met the damp concrete below, and she established a flat footing in response, waiting patiently as Okabe lowered her with continued delicacy until she had fully, safely settled onto her feet. Hands unclasping from behind his neck, her fingers drug around the collar of his coat, with several tips tucking beneath the folds. Lifting her gaze up to meet his, a flush of romantic wonder escaped with an outward breath, replaced by a great, cool inhale of the winter air. Just above, the light patter of falling snow on the umbrellas met their ears, but their eyes remained focused on each other, with nearly nothing in the world able to distract them from the lingering, fuzzy emotions of the moment.

_With you, it doesn't matter if you're taller, and I'm smaller, or whatever else is different..._

Mesmerized by his unending affection, and an expression bashful and yet so calm beneath his hazel eyes, her mouth curled into a marvelous, simple smile as he offered her umbrella back, increasing as his now-free fingers gathered a partition of her velvet-soft hair into his palm.

_...Because no matter what, I know we'll still see eye to eye._

* * *

Stepping into an illuminated courtyard, extending from the entrance of a multiple-story hotel, mismatched echoes of footsteps wandered through the open air, going in and out of sequence from the different strides of a young couple walking together. Keeping side by side, an unspoken realization crept into their hearts as the double doors of the building neared, and Maho's fingers squeezed Okabe's hand a little tighter, their digits spread between each other.

_Hard to believe... Its been almost six hours already._

Following Okabe's arm as it extended towards one of the upcoming doors, he pulled it open and out of the way, allowing Maho in first with a nod and a glimpse of an irresistibly kind smile.

_Six hours of wandering. Just like we planned, and now..._

Mere steps inside the lobby, she towed him aside from the path of the doorway, and with a sudden whimper, she thrust herself into a mighty hug. Squeezing her slender arms around his sides, fingers coupling behind his back, her forehead found a place among the buttons of his crimson shirt, and an aching sigh snuck from her lungs as his hands came to rest on her shoulders. Remaining quiet as her head turned, nuzzling his chest, his thumbs rubbed along her neck one by one, only for them to hunch from a single, quiet laugh.

Peeking up at him with a toss of her updo, she fought away misty eyes with several blinks, only for her eyelids to flutter shut as one of his hands rose, fingers brushing back through her hair above her ear.

"Its been... You've been... Really wonderful."

Opening again to his persistent smile, his lips just out of reach, Maho's head tilted aside teasingly.

"Who knew such a nerdy, quiet guy... Could make for such an amazing date?"

"That's the contemplation of the evening."

"Oh yeah?"

"Been wondering the same sort of things about you... Differing details, of course."

"Well... Wonder no longer, Okabe."

"I won't."

Humming with humor, her cheeks remained flushed, though not from the cold.

"All the places we went were really something... And don't get me started on dinner."

"You're telling me. It's been five years since I've been there, and not even the same restaurant."

"I think you made a good choice."

"You're the one that wanted western food."

"Oh, and it was worth it... Even without leftovers."

Noses wrinkling towards each other, Maho slowly twisted left and right, and after a period of mutual silence, an idea entered her mind.

"Before you go, _umm_..."

Eyebrow rising, Okabe waited for her to continue.

"Is it... Would it be alright if I got a picture of you?"

"You want my mug as a keepsake...?"

Giggling from his remark, her arms withdrew from his sides.

"If its alright with you."

"Go for it."

"Yay!"

Watching with a chuckle as she dug into her bag and grabbed her phone, the young woman hopped back, and Okabe's hands sank into the pockets of his dress coat as the blue and white device rose between them.

"Perfect."

***click***

Reviewing the image, and then looking at the real person standing before her, her grip on the smartphone tightened.

 _God you're handsome..._ "One more?"

"Sure."

Staying put as Maho drew close and whirled around with a toss of her skirt, Okabe's heart began beating with realization as she backed up against him, angling the phone and getting both of their faces in the screen.

_Come to think of it... I should get one of her before she slips away._

***click***

Spinning around with a resurgence of glee, Maho slowed to a halt as Okabe reached into his pants pocket.

"Can I... Take one of you?"

Nodding immediately, Maho eyed her surroundings, spotting a leather couch a short distance away, and skipping over towards it. Slipping off her olive coat and tossing it aside, she seated herself with a flounce, crossing one leg over the other. Leaning back against the cushion behind, hands coming together on her lap, she waited patiently as Okabe stepped up, phone in hand. Watching the black and red device rise towards her in a matching manner as before, she then offered a feisty, confident smile, her emerald jewels peeking up beneath her brow.

Hesitating from the sight, Okabe's thumb wavered over the trigger button on the screen, finally tapping on it several times. Switching to the gallery, seeing a trio of images of an absolutely unmistakable woman, his phone then lowered, shoved back into his pocket by his thumb.

"Perfect." _Just like you._

Rising back to her feet from the couch, and then standing before him, her bow-tied shoes scooted closer together on the tiled floor as he glanced back towards the nearby door.

"Hey..."

"Hm?"

"...You're forgetting something."

"Oh, right, those fans."

Blinking from the unrelated remembrance, she retrieved the plastic bag of computer case fans from her satchel, only to hold them captive behind her small hands as he approached, keeping them just out of reach. Giggling from his expression that followed, he halted in front of her, and she looked up at him with a flutter of eyelashes.

" _And_..."

Exhaling from her apparent ambiguity, he eyed her pointedly, and her chin rose, expression settling into a soft, amorous gaze.

"...Aren't you going to kiss me goodnight?"

Completely dissolving his prior expression, a trace of a blush touched his cheekbones from the invitation.

"O-Of course."

Heart racing as he drew near, waiting as his arms rose to her shoulders once more, she elevated up onto her toes in a shuffle. With opposing tilts of their heads, her eyelids fluttered shut, and a soft shove of his lips found her own. Reaching up to his neck with a free hand, fingers settling onto the angle of his collarbone, her nose nudged against his, and for an increasing duration, they remained in the matching posture of a kiss.

_Why... Wouldn't I?_

Slipping apart with a reluctant drag of her lip across his own, his face rose higher once more, and her fingers drug along the buttons of his shirt, before finally pulling away. Vision meeting in a patient opening of eyes, she then offered the bag in her hand, causing his arms to retreat from her shoulders as her feet dropped flat again.

Sinking into a slight bow, accepting the flimsy object, he then shoved his other hand into the pocket of his coat.

"Good night, _Maho_."

Eyelids lowering, her chest expanded from a breath of emotion-laden finality.

"Good night... _Okabe_."

Slowly revolving in a turn among the linger of her whisper, a smile remaining on his face, Okabe began in a heading for the hotel's entrance. With an extension of his arm, pushing the door open, he then glanced over his shoulder once more. Spotting the short-statured young woman beyond, donned in green and black and still in the same place, he hesitated only for a moment, and then continued onward through the entrance, promptly blasted by the resurgence of cold night air.

_Yes. Goodnight... You lovely, emerald eyed enigma... And thank you._

Shoes clicking across the silent courtyard, turning in a heading towards the lab several blocks away, a lengthy breath of steam parted his lips. Gripping the package in his hand, fingers growing cold without the presence of her delicate digits among his own, he gazed down the street, squinting from the passing of headlights alongside the damp sidewalk.

_I won't soon be forgetting this evening we've shared._


	10. 1010

**Monday, January 23rd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:21a.m.**

Snuggled in a mangled heap of sheets and blankets, Maho's eyes remained on the glass pane of a nearby window, with a light blue sky teased beyond the wall of her room. Shrouded by the mass of freed locks weaving around her cheeks and neck, her body remained in a comfortable balance of temperature, warm within the cocoon, and her arms and face exposed to the cool air of the hotel's interior. Lazily blinking, interrupting an otherwise passive stare into the distance, a variety of memories of the prior evening played in a slideshow of internal imagery, and her heart stirred among several pangs from several quite special moments.

_First date for both of us... And yet it went perfectly. As perfect as it could be interpreted, maybe. I think we did fine for being two quirky nerds. That boy is more romantic that appearances suggest... But that probably goes the same for me too._

Turning her head slightly, blowing a tuft of hair from her vision with a quick puff of breath, her eyes discerned the distinctly green blouse resting on the back of the desk chair.

_Truth is stranger than fiction, after all. Maybe we broke conventional universe logic for an evening. Rewrote the code and made it work our way. I like the sound of this. Now to alter other things to my lik-_

Train of thought pausing as her pillow vibrated, she lay still, recognizing the pattern of vibration, and then shoved her arm beneath the squishy headrest, fumbling for the smartphone beneath.

_I'll be there around lunchtime, professor. Calm down._

Tugging the device out, however, an alert appeared revealing a text from Okabe, and a breath parted her lips as she tapped on the screen twice, only to discover a paragraph of text beneath her thumb.

_Oh, what's all this?_

Moving her finger aside, her eyes began along the first row of words, only to roll over in a twist with sudden attention.

_'Good morning Miss Hiyajo, I hope you are well. I realize it is a short while after the fact, but I wanted to convey my feelings while everything is still fresh in my mind right now... I truly had a fantastic time with you yesterday. Enjoyed every part of our date adventure from beginning to end. Wouldn't change a single detail or moment, and I'm fairly certain you agree. Also, I want you to know that you are an absolutely beautiful individual. Many times I felt like I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and as it turns out, the lovely woman beside me the whole time was very real, and certainly commanded my attention and admiration. You're an inspiration, a crackup, and a total doll. Truly a magnificent person that I feel fortunate to have met. With all that said, I wish you a wonderful rest of your day, Maho.'_

Phone flopping down, chest aching with a strong surge of emotion, her free hand tucked up over her mouth.

_Wha... Where did this come from?_

Lifting the device back into view and lowering her digits to her chin, she reread the message several times. Lips pressing together with a quiver, the phone dropped flat onto the mattress once more, and her fingers covered her eyes, vainly attempting to stave off rapidly approaching tears.

_Oh my god you sweetheart, you... All honest and just... Saying wonderful things like this. You probably sat down and proofread that over and over, and...  
_

Eyelids remaining tightly closed as her fingers retreated from her face, three separate trails forced free from beneath her eyelids, wandering together below her nose and gathering in the crevice between her cheek and the pillow, rapidly dampening both.

_...And, of course this stuff has to happen, right before I leave. How I wish you could just come with, or I could just stay here, and... I don't know. I'm just trying to pretend there's some way around something I didn't expect to be an obstacle, and... Oh, what's the use. Fighting the inevitable over silly last minute feelings._

Brow furrowing, a cascade of fresh tears followed the established trails on her face.

_No. Not silly, or last minute. I knew this was going to happen going into it, and yet I continued... Something in this head of mine decided it would be worth it, no matter how temporary my stay here was, and this is what I get.  
_

Hand reaching up and pushing between the damp pillow and her cheek, she lifted her face onto the newly offered palm.

_My stubborn head, and my stupid damn heart. Both of them decided to get invested in you. And why not, right? Life is short, and people like you aren't common. Definitely not common, duh. Why else would this happen? I took a chance and enjoyed it while it lasted. Is lasting. Something. Dammit._

Wiping her cheek with her knuckles, and then rubbing them on a different spot of the pillow, a hurting sigh pulled from her lungs.

_Okabe... Where have you been in my life before now? Why did it take me so long to feel like this? Why..._

Turning her head, shifting the direction of the mournful streams, she twisted the phone into view, unlocking the screen, and re-reading the well-intended message.

_...Why do I have to feel so sad, after such an amazing date? Its not like its your fault. You're just being the nice guy you are, and I'm... I'm going to drown in these tears if I don't say something back._

Thumb settling above a virtual keyboard appearing with a single tap, she took in a preperative breath.

'Dearest mister Rintarou, I can't get over how kind your words and heart are. I'm not sure how you managed to be so lucky, blessed with a heart of gold and a gentle smile that I'll always admire. Having your hand in mine, and seeing your eyes meet mine made my heart race so many times, you don't even know. ^_^ Kissing you was best of all though. You're one handsome Japanese student. *^_^* Nerdy and handsome and amazing. When I first came here to Tokyo, I almost never strayed from my hotel. But now that your hand has guided me through these streets, I've come to like this pocket of the city. I'll be sure to visit again sometime soon, promise.'

Reviewing the reply, a choked laugh worked free of her clamped lips from the last line.

_Yep. Don't mind me. My words are happy, but my heart is very sad, and I've woken up into an emotional disaster because you're so nice, and you're apparently my weakness._

Sending the message, her hand dropped the phone and wiped her eyes with several swipes.

_There. Making me cry without even knowing it... Your turn to get emotional. Okabe._

* * *

**Monday, January 23rd, 2012; Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 10:26a.m.**

Seated on the fabric of a cheap office chair, among several in the university's computer lab, a whir of dusty case fans and pattering of keyboard keys filled Okabe's ears. Instead of typing, however, the college student sat still, his head seated on an open palm just above the surface of the table. Completely distracted from the program instances and rows of text on the glare of the monitor, his eyes sat on a cluster of cables sprouting from a surge protector, but his mind wandered in another realm, far away in an ongoing daydream.

_To think... I actually pulled that whole evening off with resounding success. Didn't matter how cold it got or how quiet we were at times. Hell, some of those moments of silence were incredible, seeing the ways she looked at me... What a secretly magnificent woman. Hides herself from the world until someone catches her attention, and then curls up like a purring kitten. Kissing and hugging, and laughing melodiously._

Eyelids lowering, a smile discreetly lifted his cheek.

_She is quite like a cat, isn't she. Feisty and independent, and then warms up and nuzzles you when you garner her affection. Not to mention her voluminous amount of hair... Which was already soft as can be, only to be revealed that it can be elegantly fashioned as well..._

Vision drifting aside, with the outline of his nose remaining in his vision, his eye then closed entirely.

_God. What else... I've long-since been enchanted by those eyes of hers. Maybe those cute ears and nose. Slender arms and shoulders... Pretty slender body as a whole. Had a cute butt in that skirt though..._

Exhaling with slight embarrassment, his eyes flitted open, squinting from the bright display of the monitor.

_Makes one wonder what she was thinking about me. Come to think of it... I don't think she's responded to m-_

Startled as his pants pocket vibrated, a shiver of temperature change ran along his back.

_Never mind. I bet that's her._

Glancing aside, he sneakily withdrew his phone, confirming the surprising length of a response to his earlier message, and his heart began beating with uncertainty.

_Okay. I'm out of here. Gotta read this._

Pocketing the phone and standing up from his chair, he swiftly walked past the seat as it drifted to a halt. Trading a nod with professor Izaki seated nearby, Okabe departed the room with silent haste, faking a heading for a restroom. Continuing down the hall, and turning a corner, devoid of classroom doors nearby, he leaned back against the wall with a thump of his shoulders, withdrawing his smartphone.

_Alright, miss Hiyajo, what's your..._

Brow peaking from the flow of sincerity, a hint of her voice began to echo the same words on the screen, and he thoroughly reread the message, quietly chuckling from the text faces nestled among her words, only to draw to a silent halt on a heart emoticon sitting on the end of the last cryptic sentence.

_Well... Now I know a little bit of what she was thinking about._

Hand sinking, arm coming to rest against the wall behind, the phone's screen slowly darkened and shut off on its own. Heart beating, his lips parted, only to settle shut as he looked aside towards the end of the hallway.

_Her feelings are obvious, considering how often she's managed to kiss me, and yet..._

'I'll be sure to visit again sometime soon, promise.'

Grimacing from the obvious, unspoken message in her words, his free hand balled up, drooping down beside his waist.

_...You're still leaving in two day's time._

* * *

Standing outside in the weak January sun, wasting away lunch period on one of the university's allotments of of dry grass, Okabe silently admired an image of a quite-attractive Hiyajo Maho on his phone, taken the night before in the lobby of her hotel.

_Twenty three years old, maybe five feet tall... And certainly looks good in a dress. Or a shirt and skirt... Whatever she's wearing._

Admiring the teasingly mischievous smile on her lips, with sparkling eyes peeking out beneath untamed lashes and compact little eyebrows, a sigh fought its way out of his insides.

_Regardless of outfit, that face is irreplaceable, and irresistible... And the thought of only seeing only a photograph of it, is starting to eat away at this heart of mine._

Shutting off the screen, he stuffed the device into his pocket, and with a slow rise of his chin, gazed sadly into the sky.

_What a feeling... Hurting like this, for the simple reason that she's about to be out of reach, across the ocean. I suppose we'll make the best of tomorrow however we can, but..._

Swallowing from the tightening of his throat, his thumbs rested on the edge of his belt. With a brief wander above the horizon, his eyes found the distant progression of an airliner cruising across the open winter sky, only to be obscured by a wandering cloud formation a short time later.

_Its only a matter of time, now._

* * *

**Brain Science Institute, Wako City, Saitama, Japan; 12:51p.m.**

Sitting among bare tables in a recently-emptied room in the institute, Maho sorted through several folders on her laptop, the screen split between a list of documents and an instance of Amadeus running on the screen. Swallowing from a persistent ache in her throat and chest, feigning a lack of sadness, her face remained pensive as she worked, preserving the periods of silence in the room.

_Still at three-quarters of a full charge, and its been unplugged since this morning. You're a miracle worker, Okabe-san... If only you could figure out how to stop my heart from breaking, as easily as you found a replacement laptop battery..._

Studying the slowly strobing colors of the mouse beneath Maho's small hand, Amadeus-Makise looked towards Professor Leskinen silhouetted against the windows beyond, gathering numerous items together and staging them around a large briefcase.

"Is he packing up for something?"

Blinking in a realization of her statement, Maho eyed the webcam.

"Oh, we're actually getting ready to leave Japan soon."

"I was not aware of this."

"Sorry. We'll be returning to the United States and Viktor Chondria on Wednesday night."

"Hmmm... That reminds me, actually. Have you seen Okabe Rintarou over the weekend, Maho?"

Stirring from the spoken name, only for her expression to tighten, she silently nodded in answer, spreading a smile across the AI's face.

"Just confirming. My twin already made mention of a special evening you were to be part of."

Cringing from the chuckle of the professor in the background, Maho's brow flattened.

_Of course she did._

"Your errands, hm? You could have just told me you were seeing your boyfriend, Hiyajo."

Exhaling with a fluster, Maho's lips tightened, pretending to ignore his comment, only to realize Amadeus-Makise's hands had clasped together in surprise.

"Ohh Maho, why didn't you tell me earlier that it was official? That's exciting!"

"Its not. How could it be when I'm leaving?" _Ugh, I hate that I just said that._

"Mmm, but love will always find a way, senpai."

Grimacing as the professor's chuckling continued from behind, Maho stared at the grinning avatar on screen, valiantly hiding the knot of pain within her chest.

"Anyway... You redheads sure communicate with remarkable speed."

"My human counterpart is the one that contacts me with frequency."

"Ah, so the true culprit is revealed, nice... And of course you're never hesitant to respond."

"She's always been courteous enough to say goodbye before shutting me down. Why wouldn't I respond?"

"That again, huh?"

"I have no qualms with speaking to her. Honestly the information exchanging is quite fun."

"You two are maintaining gossip between each other."

"Communication is how one stays up to date with the happenings of the outside world. How else am I to operate?"

Looking away with a turn of her chair, a heavy breath of impatience left Maho's nose.

"...In any case, senpai, will I be able to see the lab members once more before our departure? I'd greatly enjoy one more session with them."

Looking back at the monitor, and then the webcam, her furrowed expression relaxed.

_Well, I guess there's no harm or anything to hide by this point._

"You probably could. I was already planning to go there tomorrow, so I could potentially bring you along."

"Ooh I hope you can! Your tester friends are all fun and fascinating to talk to. Plus I'd be sad if I couldn't say goodbye to them."

_You would be sad, huh?_

Looking over her shoulder towards the professor as he stacked several stapled reams of paper, his head lowered with a nod of approval, and Maho grunted as she turned to the monitor once more.

"Guess that's a yes."

"Yay! Thank you, mister Alexis."

"You're welcome, Makise-two."

Swallowing from the thought of an upcoming visit to the Future Data Lab, likely for the last time, Maho's eyes lowered to the folds of her lab coat resting on her lap.

_Didn't think I'd bring Amadeus along one more time, but I guess it is almost a person after all. An AI making friends with actual people... And ushering me towards one guy in particular. Maybe she'll quit being upset with me once I let her opinion matter... Considering her big mouth is what makes me shut her down without warning._

* * *

**Mandarake Complex, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:54p.m.**

Heart beating with determination, shuffling past several occupants on the ground floor of an eight story building, Okabe hiked up the beginnings of a spiral stairwell with fervor.

_Should I find that submarine model she spoke of? No, I don't know if that could be considered meaningful, especially if I ended up getting the wrong one somehow... Where else did she go in here while I left her on her own?_

Nearly passing the entrance to the second floor, his shoes skidded to a halt, and he leaned back towards the open doorway, eyebrows rising from the sight of shelves laden with many hundreds of plushies and dolls.

_That's right, she was in here, in this aisle... Grinning with such adoration in her eyes. Hmm..._

Glancing back towards the stairwell in both directions, he then continued into the second floor. Avoiding eye contact with other occupants, he hastened his pace into the aisle in question, sheepishly looking in all directions at his new, unfamiliar surroundings.

_...Right. I wish I happened to see what she was looking at in particular while she was here... Would greatly assist this search._

Scrutinizing rows of fictional characters and stuffed creatures of varying colors, sizes and shapes, his hand rose to his chin, squinting in several directions at the multitude of large eyes staring at him as he slowly walked.

_Maybe I should find one that's... Wait, no, what if it turns out she does like weird looking ones? She likes me and I'm not exactly normal looking..._

Continuing further, encountering a selection of plushies styled after real life pets, his footfall slowed with interest.

_Actually..._

Hand lowering from his chin, and carefully reaching out to one stuffed animal in particular, he lifted it from its place among the others. Revealed to be a fuzzy black cat, with white paws and markings on its face and tail, a pair of large, speckled green eyes happily looked up at him, a smile grew across Okabe's lips for the first time in several hours.

_Aren't you a delightful one._

Tucking the cat beneath his arm, ensuring its head was in front of his shoulder, he turned back towards the distant stairwell, marching forth with renewed resolve.

_You're coming with me, my friend... A great big adventure with a little lady awaits you._

* * *

Walking among a crowd of early-evening travelers and tourists, a large plastic bag hung from Okabe's shoulder, moving back and forth in a slow sway from his movements. After a glance towards several cars waiting at a crosswalk beside himself, his eyes returned forward as he stepped onto the opposite sidewalk, only to blink from the sudden appearance of Mayuri in passing.

"Oh, Okarin! There you are."

"Mayuri. Hey."

Turning back and halting before each other, she adjusted the colorful hand-sown scarf around her neck.

"You weren't in the lab when I arrived. Didn't you get my text earlier?"

"I'm sure I did, but my phone's still on vibrate. Might not have noticed it, sorry."

"That's alright. Out and about?"

"Sort of."

Eyes lowering towards the bag beside his knee, Mayuri's face illuminated with curiosity.

"Whatcha got there?"

"An object of crucial secrecy."

"From Mandarake?"

"Y-Yes."

"Is it something for Maho...?"

Eyes meeting once more, her pointed expression obliterated his straight face.

"Perhaps." _Blasted bag blew my cover already._

"Ooh, is it something cute?"

Chin lifting with increasing embarrassment, he looked away.

"Classified information."

"Ehehee, you're so easy to read, Okarin. I hope she likes whatever it is!"

"That's my hope as well."

"Well, I guess I'll let you be on your way then. Ladies don't like to be kept waiting."

Laughing from the grimace that appeared on his face, Mayuri turned back to her original heading, only to notice that Okabe's mouth was opening to speak.

"Hey, uh, are you going shopping?"

"I was thinking about getting a hot dinner to go. Would you like something?"

"Oh. Yes, actually, hold on."

Reaching into his pocket and retrieving his wallet, he swiftly handed a Yen note to her, and her smile bloomed as she accepted his financial offering.

"Aww, thanks, Okarin."

Tucking his wallet away again, he nodded.

"You're always getting us food with your own money, so its the least I could do."

"I'll make sure to get you something yummy, okay?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

"I'll be back in a half hour."

"See you then."

Waiting as his childhood friend offered a wave and slowly disappeared into the crowds of pedestrians beyond, Okabe remained still as people filtered past him in several directions.

_Thank you, Mayuri. A hot meal on this cold evening should drive away my earlier sorrows... For a little while._


	11. 1011

**Tuesday, January 24th, 2012; Tennouji CRT Repair, Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:32p.m.**

Seated on an old bench, just in front the windows of a street-level shop full of dated televisions, Maho looked on towards the one end of the alley, which remained silent and motionless aside from the passing of cars on nearby streets. With legs crossed and her backpack beneath her arm, her hand remained under the top strap of the bag, fingers tapping one by one on the worn fabric.

_Should be showing up any time now..._

Vision rising above the roof lines of buildings across the alley, broken clouds soldiered on through the fading atmospheric blue, creeping behind dark silhouettes of cables strung between poles.

_Its been a day and half since we've last seen each other, and after yesterday's debacle, I'm just... So tired of crying._

Hearing unseen footsteps, only for them to draw to a halt, her head rapidly turned aside. Discovering with a quiet gasp that Okabe was standing a few meters away, hands in his pockets, a murmur buzzed in her throat, and her brow peaked with emotion from his sudden reappearance.

"Okabe."

Seeing a sad smile appear from her exhale of his name, she stared glumly at the sight of his unfamiliar expression.

_No, please don't look like that._

"Maho."

Launching off the bench onto her feet, she stormed over and buried herself into his chest, squeezing him in as big of a hug as she could manage.

"Okabe-san..."

Gathering her into his longer arms, his eyes shut as his chin lowered onto her head, burying his nose into her hair. Allowing her to twist both of them side to side, the heat of her breath on his chest continued, and the two of them remained in a tight, emotional embrace.

"...I'm so sorry."

Face rising from the pleasant scent of her bushy hair, his chin settled onto the top of her head.

"For what?"

"For having to leave Japan. And leaving you."

"It's alright."

"No its not."

"Yes it is. You planned on leaving from the start, whenever you first arrived."

"I know I did, but..."

"But, certain events and feelings transpired, and here we are."

Sighing miserably, Maho seemed to go limp for a moment, causing Okabe to reassure his embrace around her sides.

"I hope you're not upset with me... For starting all of this mess."

"Why on earth would I be upset? Meeting you and all the time we've spent together... I can't even begin to describe how amazing it's all been."

"I... I know. And I agree."

"I know its upsetting, but both of us knew this was inevitable."

"I did. And for a while I just ignored it."

Rubbing her backside with his palm, a lengthy sigh seeped from her lungs, warming his chest through his shirt.

"Well, that's a lesson of its own."

"I know."

"Regardless, please don't regret any part of your stay here."

"I won't. There's too many good things... I could never regret it."

Looking towards the alley beyond, a period of silence hung after her words. Then, with a rise of her head, her eyes met his as he peered down at her, both of them relaxed from the comforting proximity.

"I cried my eyes out from your message yesterday morning. Just so you know."

"You... _Did?_ "

"Yeah. It was very sweet and well worded, but I think reality just decided to crash down on me right afterward. Turned happy tears into sad ones real fast."

"I'm... Sorry I made you cry."

"Its okay."

"I'll try my best not to do that to you anymore."

"Its okay, Okabe... People have to cry now and then. Even a sweet guy like you."

Looking aside pensively, he swallowed.

_Well, don't worry. I was pretty bummed yesterday._

Looking back as one of her arms retreated from his side, her hand rose up, and her index finger extended, poking the tip of his nose and finally bringing a smile to both of their faces.

"You know... Neither of us have gotten to say so in person... But Sunday's date was perfect."

"Yes it was. Thanks to you."

"And you."

Hand lowering, Maho eyed him fondly.

"You were handsome as can be."

"And you were stunningly beautiful."

Cheeks darkening in a blush from his sincerity, the last tendrils of a cloud of sadness seemed to drift away from her mind.

"Oh... You hush."

"Nope. Totally serious."

Flopping her forehead into his chest, a much welcomed giggle left her throat. Shivering from a wayward breeze wandering through the alleyway, Okabe's embrace tightened around her, and a gentle moan pried open her lips.

"...You know you could have let yourself in earlier... Instead of being out in the cold."

"I know. But I knew you were heading here from your college, so I wanted to wait outside."

"So we could talk like this?"

"Pretty much."

Releasing her arms from his backside, she gazed up at him, heart beating from his close presence.

_And besides, even with me leaving soon, if we were in the lab with the other two..._

Rising onto her toes in a temporary boost of height, her fingers gripped the folds of his suit coat, and after a delayed realization of her intent, his chin sank, bringing his shoulders lower in a cautious downward bend of posture.

_...And we did this..._

Colliding together into a tender, overdue kiss, exhales of warm breath from their noses danced back and forth against their cold cheeks, and Maho's body arched as his hand found a place against the small of her back. Remaining in position, a familiar tingle of romantic warmth bloomed, enveloping their faces, and one of her hands released its hold on his coat. Drifting down and finding his free hand, which seemed to already be waiting for hers, her slender digits pushed between his knuckles, tucking her palm against his with a curl.

_...We'd never hear the end of it._

* * *

Following in the footsteps of Okabe as they proceeded up the dim stairwell to his apartment, Maho's backpack jostled as she made small bounds, skipping steps to keep up with his pace.

_Maybe if we met up yesterday, somehow, I wouldn't have been so miserable all day and night... But I wanted to give you space after Sunday night._

Peering up to his backside, glimpsing his face as he rounded the level corner of the stairs, her lips tightened.

_I guess that backfired pretty spectacularly. First thing that happened when you appeared earlier was me running into your arms. How clingy can one get when they're about to be gone for who knows how long? I don't even know what would be considered right, as far as relationships in Japan. Hell, I barely know what's right back in the states. I don't know how to approach any of this correctly. It just happens that our date went awesomely. I don't know how you would be in a relationship, Okabe._

Picturing several moments of walking by his side, speaking freely and trading laughter and smiles, her ascent of the stairs began to slow.

_...I-I mean, not that we're really in a relationship. Maybe that's why this hurts so much. Its not like we haven't been getting along. I'd love to see you more... But the university isn't going to just magically extend my time here because I want to date some Japanese student._

Stepping onto the level hallway of the building's upper story, her eyes remained on the floor as she walked.

_...And with that said, I'm here to waste a few hours away, before saying goodbye to people I've known for maybe two weeks. I hate that its actually come to this point already. Even my damn AI wants to say goodbye to everyone here. Why can't I just be here in Japan, and do my research here? Its not like Amadeus isn't portable. The institute is already here too. They haven't even opened the stupid place yet. Maybe I'll just arrange to do testing abroad. Maybe I'll just MAKE them allow me to be abroad. I'm already fed up with traveling all over the world. I should just move here and figure out how to live happily ever after. Maybe I'll get a place in Okinawa too. Then I can vacation back home whenever the hell I feel like it, instead of being stuck in California, five thousand miles away._

Realizing a moment later that Okabe was standing in patient waiting, quietly watching her storm of thinking, she exhaled heavily. Offering a nod as his hand began towards the handle of the metal door beside them, both of them looked onward as the welcoming light and warmth of the lab was revealed among the rattle of the entrance.

"Okarin? Oh, and Maho-chan too!"

"Loli-tan returns with her compact cuteness? All is right within the lab once more."

Unable to resist smiles from the friendly and goofy greetings, both computer scientists strolled inside, slipping off shoes at the entryway. Continuing in a casual wander within, Okabe began towards the fridge tucked in the corner, and Maho strolled up to the still-relocated couch, setting her backpack aside by the window. Leaning against the backside near Mayuri's shoulder, she watching Daru's rapid typing, casually glancing towards the screen.

"Mayushii was starting to wonder when you guys would show up today. Normally you're both here right around five-thirty."

"Alas Mayuri, matters of importance delayed our arrivals."

"Both of you?"

"Yeah."

She then turned to Maho from her concise answer.

"...Something going on?"

"Sort of."

Watching as Maho looked across her shoulder towards the nearby window, lengths of her mane of hair spilled over her shoulder, and Okabe appeared in passing just beyond, towing Maho's attention along as he rounded the end of the couch, a bottle of Dr. Pepper in hand.

"You two have been out and about a lot lately."

"I was back in Ikebukero over the weekend."

Waiting as the couch shifted from Okabe's recline onto it, Mayuri's head leaned with interest.

"And you, Maho-chan?"

Shrugging weakly, her eyes wandered.

"Just... Doing more of the Akiba experience."

"Mmm... How was it?"

Peeking towards Mayuri from her drawl, the sweetly smug smile appearing on her face lifted both Maho and Okabe's eyebrows.

"How was what?"

"Mayushii heard from her friends that you two went on a special journey on Sunday."

Eyes sinking in tandem, Maho tried hard to resist a blush.

"...Fubuki-chan said she saw Okarin with a lady way shorter than him, and Kaede said both of you looked pretty happy and adorable together."

Looking towards Maho's slowly reddening face, Okabe's mouth remained still, upholding a silent agreement made several nights before.

_Won't speak unless you do, Hiyajo-san._

Finally relaxing her shoulders, a sigh of acceptance wandered from Maho's chest, replaced by a smile among her blush as she turned back to Mayuri.

"Yeah. That was us. On a date."

"Ooooohhh! Mayushii knew something was going on!"

"A date?! Normies _CONFIRMED!_ "

Heads turning from Daru's outburst, Mayuri giggled as Maho blinked, and Okabe silently shook his head.

"Okarin my man, you of all people should know what happens when you go and do normie things! You're losing focus on the battle for computational supremacy!"

"Who's to say its not on purpose, Hashida?"

"Jeez man, you've let your mind be corrupted by the woozy charms of womankind. Soon you'll be going around and seeing movies and shopping f-."

**_*CLICK-CLICK*_ **

Cringing as the shiny presence of the gigantic NERF gun was revealed near his head, Daru silenced, holding his hands up from the menacing presence of the massive weapon in Maho's hands.

"Eeeh! I surrender!"

"Neither of us even said we were normies, Hashida. You're just being paranoid and spouting nonsense."

"Okey dokey, uh, hah, I retract my statement, yandere-tan."

"And in any case, there's nothing wrong with going on a date. You should try it, Hashida. Lest you remain lost in a world of two-dimensional romance..."

"2-D babes are nothing to scoff at. I'll have you know that winning one over is a great accomplishment."

"Ah, right. Achievement unlocked... You're forever alone."

" _HEY!_ "

Bursting into unexpected laughter, both Mayuri and Okabe watched fondly as Maho lifted the NERF gun upright, marching over to the fridge beyond.

"Is there any tea, Mayuri?"

"I'd have to brew some."

"That's alright. I'll manage without it."

"Wait, Mayushii can make some, hold on!"

Launching upright from the couch and whirling past Okabe, she sauntered into the kitchen, joined by Maho seconds later, and several cabinets opened and closed, among the running of a sink.

Looking over to Daru, seated across from the couch, Okabe's eyebrow rose as his spectacled friend glanced towards him.

"You actually went on a date with her...?"

"She asked me to it."

"And you gave in."

"Why would I say no?"

"The future of our monster machine is doomed without your competence and budget, Okarin."

"Come on Hashida, its not like I'm suddenly going to leave it behind."

"You never know man. Once a guy meets a girl, his whole life changes and sometimes they just disappear into another dimension."

"Oh yeah?"

"I've lost several comrades that way."

"And this other dimension you speak of, wouldn't be romantic happiness, would it."

"Doesn't matter what its called, dude. Its a trap."

"To you, maybe."

Exhaling with a great sigh, Itaru leaned back into the couch.

"Alright man. Just promise that you're not going to disappear on me all of a sudden."

Looking pensively towards the twin monitors ahead, Okabe twisted the cap off of the bottle of Dr. Pepper in his hands.

_As it happens, Hashida, I'm not the one that's going to disappear suddenly..._ "I'll do my best."

Lifting the drink to his lips and taking several swallows, carbonated ambrosia splashed across his tongue, and the footfall of both young women returned from behind, offering the wandering scent of newly submerged tea bags with them. Appearing around the nearby coffee table with a stubby metal pitcher in Mayuri's hot-gloved grasp, and four porcelain mugs in Maho's fingers, Okabe watched with interest as the cups were arranged in a line on the wood surface.

"Oh, Okabe, I just remembered."

"Hm?"

Watching with a stir of heartbeat as Maho looked directly at him, she then looked towards the line of computer towers seated on a shelf nearby.

"Did you install those fans you got?"

"I did. Last night."

"Are they working?"

"Seem to be. Daru?"

"Speedfan's been showing a slight temperature decrease."

"The two with the GPUs, right?"

"Yeah. With the decals."

Wandering over and carefully traversing several cables laid across the floor, Maho looked over the interconnected row of large computer cases with growing interest. Hand rising above both of the graphics units, feeling a steady current of air blowing out of top of both, a hum wandered from her throat as she peered inside small mesh windows, seeing the piping arrangement of a water cooling system residing within red and blue colored interiors.

"Nice."

"That reminds me as well. How is the new battery and mouse working out?"

Looking towards Okabe with a toss of her hair and a quickly following smile, her hands tucked into the pockets of her olive coat.

"They've both been awesome. The laptop's been unplugged for hours at a time and its a thing of beauty."

"Excellent."

"...And the mouse is pretty neat in the dark."

"Got one that lights up?"

Nodding from Daru's wayward query, she walked out of the corridor between the towers and the monitors.

"Color changing LEDs."

"Custom colors for the win."

"Mmhm."

Eyes wandering towards the USB hub seated between the monitors, Maho then blinked.

"Oh, one more thing, guys. I brought Amadeus along. It... _She_ , wants to see everyone again."

Remaining still as three pairs of eyes turned to her with a variety of interested expressions, her vision drifted across each face, one by one.

"Really?"

"Oh my gosh, she does?"

"The android nurse is back for more? Awesome!"

Smiling from the positive reception, she peered back towards the active programs on the left hand screen.

"If you want, I can get the hard drive set up."

"Go for it."

Walking past the monitors and around the couch in a short-lived search for her backpack, Maho tugged the zippers open and pulled the external hard drive out, gathering a power cable and USB webcam with her other hand as well.

"Could you start the software?"

"Already done, loli-tan."

Shaking her head from the nickname, she brushed past the arm of the couch, setting the drive in front of the hub, and with a swift connection of cables, the dark screen of Amadeus' startup shell appeared on the screen, with the program's scorching emblem appearing before their eyes.

_Okay. Here's your wish, Amadeus. Back in the lab with everyone one more time._

Sighing, and then revolving back, the computer's keyboard was offered to her by Daru, and she accepted it with both hands, plopping down onto the cushion of the couch. Hammering in her login information with a speedy pattering of fingers, she then set the keyboard aside after a conclusive tap on the enter key. Appearing a spare few seconds later with a platter of newly poured tea, Mayuri offered one to each friend in sequence, and Daru scooped the keyboard from the end of the coach, allowing her to sit.

"Thanks, Mayuri."

"Of course. Tea with friends is always a good time."

Inhaling from the appearance of a red-haired avatar on screen, the four of them then watched as the virtual personality on the left hand monitor began to grin with delight from the sight.

"Amadeus-chan!"

"Hello Shiina, and mister Rintarou, and senpai, and Hashida-san. Nice to see all of you."

"Mayushii is happy to see you too!"

"Totally. Its not every day we can talk to robot babes."

Eyes closing, letting Daru's comment pass, Amadeus-Makise's arm propped onto her side.

"I was hoping I'd be able to visit this lab again. Thank you for bringing me here, senpai."

"You're welcome."

Peering aside to Maho's content expression, Okabe's attention returned to the screen from a virtual giggle.

"Now that we're here, I wanted to ask, mister Rintarou. Were you a gentleman to my little Maho on the night of Sunday the twenty-second?"

"Wha, seriously?!"

"I'm just asking, senpai, calm down."

"That's the first thing you ask when I start you up?!"

"You've continuously refused to give me details, so I figured the next best thing would be to go to the other party involved for information. How about it, Okabe-san?"

Blinking from the question and Maho's resulting shout and grumble, his lips pressed tightly together among a blush.

"O-Of course I was."

"Is this true, senpai..?"

Eyes meeting a red faced Maho among the AI's drawl, her chin averted to her shoulder as Mayuri began giggling.

"Yes. He was."

"See? Not that hard to admit. Thank you for filling a gap of information."

"You're... Welcome."

Eyes lowering to his knees, Okabe stared at the floor between his legs.

_Interrogated by a computer. This is new._

"Ehehee, Amadeus-chan wants to know about Maho and Okarin's date as much as Mayushii does."

"They haven't told you either, Shiina?"

"Oh, I've heard bits and pieces. I guess they were really cute together."

"Mmmm. Do you know what they were wearing?"

"Okarin was in bright red and black, and Maho-chan was in a cute green shirt and black skirt, and her hair was done up... I wish I could have seen them, honestly."

"Oooh, senpai! Even your hair? You really went all out for Okabe-san, hmm?"

Turning bright red with embarrassment, Maho hid her eyes behind her hand as both girls, real and virtual, giggled together. Around them, Okabe and Daru looked away with varying extents of facepalms and awkward expressions.

_I should have known you'd bring this up... Mischievous program of mine._

Peeking aside to Okabe, who's eyes flitted down towards hers, both of them exhaled with hints of mirth.

_Even so, I guess silly moments like this... Should help keep the hurt away for a little while._

* * *

Sipping from matching mugs of cooled tea, both Okabe and Mayuri looked between Daru and Amadeus-Makise from an ongoing conversation, seconds after Maho had stood to use the restroom.

"Do you ever change clothes inside the program?"

"My appearance is static, as it was modeled by Dreamworks in preparation for the launch of the Amadeus project."

"Hmm. So to update your appearance, you'd need an update of your visual avatar."

"That's correct, Hashida-san."

"Are third party texture packs possible?"

Pausing from the query, Makise appeared to be processing a lengthy answer, building a moment of suspense within the otherwise quiet lab.

"No."

"Damn! Well, have you considered being modeled in a nurse outfit?"

"For Halloween, perhaps. But not for your sake, Hashida-san."

"Ooh! So robo-nurse might like cosplay after all! Sweet!"

"Mayushii thinks either Makises would look amazing in cosplay."

"I'll be certain to relay that for her consideration, Shiina."

"Mmm, thank you."

"You are welcome."

Looking aside to Okabe, noticing his attention was turned past his shoulder towards the restroom, a smile snuck onto Mayuri's face.

"Waiting for your girlfriend's return, Okarin?"

Seeing his eyes close above a vanishing smile, he turned back towards the computer screens, only for his vision to remain on the floor beneath.

"We're not at that point, Mayuri."

"Ehehe, but give it a few more weeks and I'm sure you two will be."

"I'm afraid you're wrong."

"Huh? But..."

"Maho won't be here by that point. She's leaving Japan tomorrow."

Hands tightening from her exhale, he remained still as Mayuri's expression saddened in the corner of his eye.

"She is?"

"We both are leaving, as a matter of fact."

Flitting over towards Amadeus, who remained with a passive expression, the cup in her grasp sank down onto her lap.

"Mayushii didn't know that."

"I apologize for not presenting that earlier, Shiina Mayuri. I didn't want to sadden you from the start of our session."

"If you are leaving... Is that why you wanted to see us, Amadeus-chan?"

"Yes it is. This was the last day I could have potentially interacted with all of you at this location. I will be returning to Viktor Chondria University with Maho to continue testing and development."

"Oh, but you'll be able to see your real twin again!"

"That's also true. Though in actuality, I've been speaking to her during my stay here."

With a pause, and slight shift of her violet eyes, Amadeus' attention rose above Mayuri's shoulder, revealing the returning presence of Maho, leaning against the back of the couch between Mayuri and Okabe.

"Senpai knows, doesn't she?"

"I do. Matching redheads causing mischief all the while."

Giggling from the gruff statement from her programmer, Amadeus crossed her arms on screen.

"Such drama. It wasn't all that bad in the end, was it?"

"Only because I got used to it."

"You know I never mean you any harm, senpai."

"You couldn't."

Heads shifting towards Daru, his thick arm rose in a correction of his glasses.

"... Because that would go against the laws of robotics."

"Yes it would, Hashida-san... If we were in the world of Isaac Asimov."

"Hmmm. Does that mean you're not opposed to inflicting harm?"

"There's no reason for me to harm anyone. Not with my intended purpose and design. I don't have any manner of physical body anyway so in a sense, I could really only speak harsh words."

"Or antagonize the hell out of people."

Turning back to Maho from her interjection, Okabe's head leaned back.

"Or that, since giving certain individuals advice seems to be an unacceptable notion."

"Advice is a subjective term, Makise-two."

"Mm. If you weren't so resistant to listening to ideas and admitting things, Maho, I would already have the necessary information and wouldn't need to pester you."

"Yeah yeah. You say that, but with your curiosity, you'd still keep asking."

"You programmed that capability, and Makise Kurisu is a scientist that is always asking questions. Therefore, the resulting combination is my drive to gather information, and eternal curiosity."

"Don't I know it."

"Mayushii can only imagine what Maho-chan and Makise-chan are like at their school."

"Oh, well..."

"Probably less argumentative."

Heads turning from Okabe's voice, he shrugged from the sudden attention.

"Ah, that is, they had to collaborate somehow for Amadeus to exist."

Eyebrow rising from Okabe's casual observation, Maho's eyes drifted over to Mayuri beside herself.

"...Yes we did. We are friends, but we definitely end up getting into regular debating."

"I can see that."

"Having two of the same best friend must be pretty fun."

"I could beg to differ."

"Hm? Why's that?"

Looking at Mayuri, and then towards Amadeus with an unimpressed, flat expression, Maho's slowly blinked.

"They get into in cooperative chaos together, typically centered on me."

"That's probably because both of them really like you."

"She's right, senpai."

"Well, sometimes you twins are way too much to deal with. Actually, most of the time would be more accurate."

"I'm certain you will survive dual interaction, Maho."

"I know I'll survive. But I won't like it."

* * *

Half an hour after a recent dinner-and-snack gathering, the lab members remained in various places around the twin screens of the computer, with Mayuri seated cross-legged on the floor, Daru reclining against the arm of the couch from his office chair, and Maho settled into a comfortable lean on Okabe's shoulder. Looking back and forth across the occupants of the room portrayed through the lens of the webcam, Amadeus-Makise's expression grew pensive among an ensuing moment of peace within the apartment. Then, after a tilt of her head, Mayuri's hand rose, quickly regaining the AI's attention.

"Thinking about something, miss Makise?"

"Yes."

"What's up?"

"Well, I suppose with the current time of the evening... It may be appropriate for me to bid all of you farewell."

"Aww... What time is it?"

"Three minutes to nine."

"Seriously?"

Eyes blasting open, Maho's attention flitted over to the clock on the wall from Daru's outburst, and her heart sank from a confirmation of the late hour.

_Nine, already?_

"I guess we did eat kinda late... Mayushii will need to head out soon."

"I suppose its just as well, Shiina."

"Kinda sucks that you won't be able to come by and run here... Its been pretty cool talking to a virtual person. Way more realistic than anything I've seen elsewhere."

Heads turning from Daru's surprise honesty, Amadeus promptly nodded.

"Thank you, Hashida, and be sure to thank Maho for bringing me along for testing."

"Hashida and Okabe are the ones that allowed me to use their computer."

Turning to a weakly-smiling Maho, Amadeus propped her arms on her hips.

"Then it would seem you should all thank each other."

"Thank you for being a new friend and lab member, miss Makise."

"Thank you for being a wonderful tester and friend, Shiina."

Head nodding left and right, Mayuri beamed happily.

"You're welcome!"

Finally settling her violet eyes on Okabe, smiling from his red sweater and her creator snuggled up against him, their hands resting atop one another, Amadeus eyed the college student pointedly.

"Mister Rintarou."

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For your questions at the seminar, your testing up until today, and for taking care of my senpai during her stay."

Exhaling heavily, he nodded with affirmation.

"You are quite welcome, Amadeus."

Looking back across the members, the AI's arms crossed, and she offered two sequential nods.

"Alright. Good night, and farewell everyone."

"Bye!"

"Later!"

Waving her virtual hand, the AI suddenly vanished from view, and the screen faded back to the login page, leaving the room quiet in a moment of surprise, punctuated by the low roar of the room's heater turning on.

"She shut herself down?"

"Yep. She can do that."

"Never seen that happen until now."

Sitting upright and stretching all four of her limbs together, Maho exhaled.

"Its a function available, but she rarely does it."

Pushing free from the cushion, Maho plopped onto her feet as Mayuri stood from the floor, and the lab seemed to gain motion as everyone but Okabe rose from sitting positions.

"Amadeus-chan is super fun to talk to. I wish both of you didn't have to go."

"I'm sorry Mayuri. I wish I didn't have to leave either, but my flight back to California leaves tomorrow evening."

"Well, Mayushii is glad you were able to come by tonight. Maho-chan has really made these last two weeks a great time for everyone."

Smiling from Mayuri's voice, Maho tugged the hard drive's USB cable free from the hub, plucking its power cable from the nearby surge protector and scooping the webcam into her grasp as well.

_This day's already come and gone... I can't believe it._

Turning towards the end of the couch, eyes meeting a still-seated Okabe as she drew past, both of them seemed to share a sense of dread from her looming departure.

_...At least you've been here the whole time. Otherwise I don't know what kind of state I'd be in right now. Probably a pretty sad one with how yesterday played out._

"Maho-tan, do you want me to uninstall the shell for the support software?"

"Up to you. Its not going to work with anything else."

"Well i'm not one for leaving unused programs and cluttered registry entries laying around..."

"Nope, can't have that."

Sighing quietly from the idle remark, she knelt down beside her backpack, stuffing the hard drive and peripherals within. Then, glancing aside as Mayuri strolled past towards the kitchen, Maho's arms slackened.

_This really is the end of an era, isn't it. Feels like so long ago that I even asked to bring Amadeus here._

"Um, Maho-tan. Since you are leaving..."

Attention perking from Daru's hesitant drawl, she peeked up over the top of the couch.

"...What _are_ you going to be doing back in America anyway? I mean, as far as what you do with computing."

"Oh, well..."

Standing upright, she leaned forward onto the loveseat again, her folded forearm gently nesting against Okabe's hair just beside her.

"I'm sure I explained it at some point... Maybe just to Okabe here, but the Amadeus project I'm a part of is intended to eventually be a functional system of medical memory preservation. If someone starts losing their memory for any reason, theoretically we could overwrite what's being lost with a fresh copy of a backup."

"Like Alzheimer's?"

"And others, Mayuri. There's several ailments that damage and degrade memory, and we could potentially treat them this way."

"That's amazing."

"However, that's not all. You've been talking to my AI, and while it seems like it functions well, it still is under ongoing development."

"Really?"

"The same platform that the memory preservation works on, supports virtual avatars that we have modeled after the original person that scanned their memory. You asked Amadeus about this earlier, Hashida. The person we see on screen is an interactive duplicate personality that runs on a digital copy of everything someone's ever learned, seen and thought of."

"Which explains why Amadeus keeps talking about the real Makise as her human twin."

"Exactly. The virtual one is sourced from the head of the real one."

"And they talk to each other like best friends. Meta, man."

_Kind of obnoxious, actually, but..._ "In much the same way I've spoken to my own memory scan."

"Whoa. You mean you have your version?"

Nodding proudly, Maho adjusted her posture.

"I do. Operates the same as Makise did earlier, just with my personality and memory instead."

"Ehee, Okarin might not be able to handle two Maho-chans at once."

Startled from a light chuckle leaving the college student beside her, Maho looked at Okabe, smiling from the brief return of his laugh.

"I dunno Mayushii, two loli-tans would be better than one... Sounds awesome."

Shaking her head from Daru's comment, Maho drew in an inhale.

"Anyway... In short, Amadeus is a two-fold project. I'm personally going to keep testing and working on its internal code. Makise works on the brain and memory side of it all... I might end up doing new memory scans to update my own data set."

"Sounds like you'll be keeping busy."

"That's the plan." _...Even though I'm going to be dealing with the fact I'd rather be here in Japan, for who knows how long._

Pushing upright from the couch, Maho lifted her backpack from the floor, tugging the zippers together, and with a look around, began towards her previously-folded coat. Seconds after her movement, Okabe finally stood from the couch, quietly drifting towards the room's coffee table.

_Weird that I'm actually considering this, but... We'll see how long I actually stay at the university in the end._

"Getting read to head out?"

"Starting to think so."

"Oh, give Mayushii two minutes. Maho-chan isn't allowed to leave without a big hug goodbye."

Blushing lightly from Mayuri's words, Maho began pulling on her olive coat, only turn with an escalation of heartbeat from Okabe's approaching footfall. Discerning a thick binder in his hands, her vision rose from the project log book, up to Okabe's parted lips.

"Here."

Vision sinking back down, however, Maho shook her head.

"You keep it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm going to make a revised copy soon anyway. Believe it or not, I have been taking notes while I've been running Amadeus here."

"Alright."

Watching him turn and deposit the binder back onto the coffee table, he then looked aside, pointing towards the enormous Nerf gun leaning on the arm of the green couch.

"What about that?"

"You think they'll let me take a big toy gun all the way through an airport?"

"Maybe not."

"You guys can have it too. Consider it my low key contribution to the lab."

"As you wish."

Chest aching from her shrug, and the apparent ease of leaving behind personal effects, Okabe's hand slipped into his pockets.

_Low key... Aside from two amazing weeks. Don't sell yourself short, Hiyajo-san._

"Okay, Mayushii is ready. I hope Maho-chan is ready for a big hug!"

Turning from the sudden approach of Mayuri bounding towards her, with only one backpack strap on her shoulder, Maho suddenly found herself squeezed into a plush embrace, and a laugh squeezed from her lungs as her chin lifted upward, only to find herself twisting left and right as Mayuri hugged her as much as possible.

"Mmmmmayuri, oh my gosh you're squishing meee...!"

"Of course! Best friends need the best hugs possible and Mayushii isn't afraid to give them."

"Mayushii uses marshmallow attack... Its one hundred percent effective!"

Looking between Daru from his comment, and both young women from the hug-session taking place, Okabe waited patiently for the moment to play out. Then, Mayuri released Maho from her embrace, only to cup her cheeks in her gloved palms, grinning from the nearly-bewildered expression on Maho's face as their eyes met.

_So this is the face that Okarin's been falling for..._ "Maho-chan is so pretty and adorable. Mayushii hopes she'll stay this petite and cute forever!"

"T-Thank you, ah, you're very pretty too, Mayuri."

"Mmm, thank you Maho-chan. Now, don't you go and be late for your plane, okay?"

"Its not leaving until tomorrow, but, uh, okay."

Freeing the shorter woman from her grasp, Mayuri stepped back in a whirl, stopping from the sight of a patiently waiting Okabe, and her hands came together.

"Since Maho-chan is lab member double-oh-four, she's allowed to visit the lab at any time she happens to visit Japan. Right, Okarin?"

"Right."

"In that case, make sure you stay in touch! Lab members are family no matter where they are in the world."

Eyes flitting between Mayuri and Okabe, and even Daru seated nearby with his arm over the side of the couch, Maho exhaled sadly, only for her face to lift in a smile.

"Thank you, everyone. I've really had a wonderful time here, and I appreciate you all welcoming me in so easily."

"Mmmhm! The lab always could use more computer-y friends."

"And it goes without saying... Loli-ladies are always welcome."

Shaking her head with a still-remaining smile, she then looked up towards Okabe.

"Are you..."

"Yes. _Ah_ , if you want me to."

Blushing slightly from his expected answer, and his approach, she zipped up her coat.

_Of course I want you to walk with me._

Hand rising as she turned, heading towards the door beside a slightly faster Okabe, she offered a final wave to the others.

"Byyeee!"

"Later, Maho-tan!"

Waiting as the apartment's metal door was opened with a rattle, both computer scientists tall and short slipped through, vanishing into the dark hallway beyond. With a concluding clatter of the passage closing and a thick latch engaging, silence fell over the inside of the apartment for several seconds.

"Mayushii, did he seem kinda off to you?"

"Okabe?"

"Yeah. He's been way quieter than normal today."

Turning towards Daru, who now had his feet propped onto the arm of the couch, Mayuri began in a passive heading back into the middle of the room.

"I think his heart is hurting because Maho is leaving for a long time, really soon."

"Man, I've warned him about what 3-D girls do, but he doesn't want to listen."

"I think its more serious than it just being a 3-D girl, Daru. They really like each other."

"Hmmm..."

Stepping up to the window and peeking down towards street level, just past an omnipresent snowflake decal on the glass, a glimpse of Okabe and Maho appeared for a fleeting moment, only to disappear from sight. With a gentle exhale, her hand settled to rest on the windowsill, eyes sinking a moment later.

_Hang in there, Okarin._

* * *

**Tuesday, January 24th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:41p.m.**

Standing inside the wide-open lobby of a high-rise hotel, both Maho and Okabe faced each other in a mutual moment of heavy hearts and held hands. Around them, low notes of classical music wandered from unseen speakers, meandering through the pleasantly conditioned air and empty seats, preserving the realm of peaceful togetherness that seemed doomed to slip away as the seconds ticked past.

"I meant to ask while we were walking... Do you think you'd be able to go to the airport with me?"

"Haneda?"

"Yeah."

Head tilting in brief consideration, Okabe's chin lowered in a nod.

"I could, depending on your departure time."

"Seven thirty. In the evening. I'll need to be there by probably six-thirty at the latest."

"Then yes. Want me to meet you there at the terminal?"

"No, come by the hotel here like normal. I want to take a train with you if that's alright."

"Of course its alright."

Eyes tightening, Maho's smile remained, keeping her weakening resolve steady.

_Of course it is. Because you're Okabe and you handle everything with stride somehow._

"Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." ... _And besides, Maho, if you're trying to make our time together last, I'd might as well try too._

Gazing at each other in a lingering moment of sad smiles and hurting insides, Maho shuffled forward, releasing his hands and surrounding Okabe's sides with her arms in a great hug, exhaling against his chest as his arms came together beneath her shoulders in return.

_Its not as if I'd have anything better to do, than to be with you one more time._

Swallowing, and waiting patiently as her bushy hair lifted into view, her misty eyes meeting his once more, both of their lips parted to speak, only for them to wait for the other in a fury of heartbeats.

_You first. I couldn't..._

Realizing their temporary impasse, both of their faces sank with unexpected smiles gracing their features, making the coming words easier to finally convey.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Okabe." _...You Japanese man of mystery._

"Yeah. See you tomorrow, Maho." _You emerald eyed... Enigma._


	12. 1100

**Wednesday, January 25th, 2012; JR Akihabara Station, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:42p.m.**

"What time is it?"

Looking towards an electric sign board, his height edging out over the crowd of evening commuters surrounding them and Maho's enormous suitcase, a wisp of steam puffed from Okabe's mouth.

"Forty two after."

"And the next train is due at forty-five?"

"Yes. Actually, I see its headlights already."

"Okay. Good." _I guess. Don't want to be late... But I don't even want to leave either._

Nudging closer to the college student, their interlaced fingers continued to fight the chilly temperature setting in, arms throbbing in a slight shiver from the cold. Then, a low rise of conversation and statements from other commuters began as the clatter of steel and a squeal of activating brakes echoed through the air, and their heartbeats accelerated from the sense of insurmountable inevitability.

"Hey... You did fly here with the professor, didn't you?"

Blinking from Okabe's errant query, Maho peeped up towards him.

"I did."

"Shouldn't he be here too?"

"He's already been on his way to the airport."

"Oh."

Gripping her suitcase as the white and green of an electric commuter train rolled into view, silhouetted beyond the dozens of people crowded around them, Maho's head tilted, looking towards the nearest door on the railcar halting in front of them.

_Just as well, honestly, because the hell if I'm going to deal with him while I'm here with you._

Squeezing Okabe's hand as the doors opened and a crush of the train's occupants began exiting, several people spaced together nearby, allowing a passage through. Then, after half a minute of allowing the train to empty, the multitude of passengers lining the platform began a swift process of boarding, and Okabe stepped around Maho, trading her hand for the handle of her suitcase.

"Huh? Oh."

"I've got this. Go ahead and board."

Pressing into the narrowing line of people, and crossing the slim gap between the platform and railcar with a small hop, Maho peeked back as Okabe hoisted the luggage inside with ease, setting it onto the floor and rolling it towards her.

"Are we sitting?"

"Not likely."

Realizing shortly afterward that the volume of people outside had rapidly crowded into the train, with bench seats vanishing in seconds, she reached over to a pole beside herself, and Okabe brought her suitcase to a halt against the same pole she held onto as several dozen people pressed closer around them. Within seconds, loaded full of passengers, the train's doors shut after a jingle and a cautionary voice played over the speakers, and with a shift of movement, began into forward motion.

_Well... Off we go._

Looking at her surroundings with slight discomfort from her limited height, Maho then peered up towards Okabe, and then down at the suitcase, an idea blooming in her mind.

"Hey."

"Hm?"

"Make sure this doesn't move."

Watching as he stepped closer, trapping the hard-sided luggage against the steel rod with his legs, Maho hoisted herself up on top of the suitcase with a grunt, slipping around the pole, and resting both of her legs around it as she sat. Then, with a humored grunt from Okabe behind, his longer arms drew around her sides, gripping the pole ahead, and keeping her newly-formed seat secure as she leaned back against him.

"Haha, this worked perfectly."

"Wasn't sure what you were doing at first."

"That's pretty much my life story."

Smiling from his following chuckle, Maho's slender fingers tightened around the pole, her head on a swivel from the much-improved vantage point as she looked around among the train's occupants.

_Wow, you know what, I think this is the first time Okabe and I have been on a train together. First and last, apparently._

Watching as now-familiar multi-story buildings surrounding the station disappeared from sight through the windows, a sigh seeped from Maho's lungs as the train continued accelerating.

_Well, so long, Akihabara. Its been fun and adventurous, for sure._

Turning aside, an errant thought entered her mind as the train began into a curve, shifting all of its occupants into a lean.

_I wonder what happened to the pink cat princess I met on Saturday night? Can't recall seeing her before or any time afterward... I wonder if Okabe knows who she is?_

Pulling herself upright, and leaning against the pole on her shoulder, her eyes rose to the variety of advertisements lining the roof of the railcar above the windows.

_Actually, considering how upbeat and stylish she seemed to be... I bet her and Mayuri would be great friends._

* * *

**JR Keikyu Airport Line, Shinagawa, Tokyo; 6:04p.m.**

Freshly transferred onto a second train, claiming a center pole in the same arrangement as before, Maho leaned back against Okabe, fingers slipping free of the smooth steel and settling onto the curved edges of the suitcase beneath.

_Second leg of the journey... Almost forgot that this is the way I came when I first arrived before the expo._

Cheeks warming from the memory of first meeting the college student she now reclined against, Maho's head drifted forward, settling against the elbow of his arm.

_The Akiba Tech Expo... To think that's where we first met. All because this guy asked my AI some challenging existential questions, only to pester me about technical details later on._

Face curling into a partial grin, tempered by a steadily aching heart in her chest, her chin lifted upward, settling onto his arm in a turn.

_Never thought that I'd end up kissing him, and going on a date with him. And crying over him... And maybe falling for him._

Eyes closing as her chest tightened from the thought, her head rolled onto her cheek, tickled by the soft hair on his forearm.

_...And here I am, about to leave him behind._

Eyes flitting open as something drifted through her hair, her head rose, and she looked back towards him, only to find his free fingers gently brushing her hair aside, revealing the elfin features of her face. Seeing a genuine smile grow beneath his relaxed brow and hazel eyes, her cheeks gained a tint of red as a smile snuck onto her own lips.

_You should've brushed my hair with your fingers like that days ago... You handsome Japanese man._

Eyes meeting and remaining in a gaze for an unknown length of time, she finally turned away, resting her neck.

"Thank you for coming with me, Okabe."

"You asked if I could."

"I know, its just... You've always been so nice and accommodating. Going out of the way from your own schedule... I really appreciate everything you done to help me."

"You're quite welcome, but, I've hardly gone out of the way. You're a lab member, and we take care of each other however we can."

Humming happily from the thought, Maho straightened forward and leaned back against him, her face turning up towards him with her mane of hair spreading along his chest below.

"Yes you do. You've really got a good thing going with that lab... And good friends too. You don't need a lot of people in your life to be happy."

"That's true. I've found that one just needs a hobby, and people to share it with, and they can be content."

"Having a hobby for a job is the best of both worlds."

"Is that how you have things arranged?"

"Sort of. I like programming and everything, and scholarships have pretty much covered everything else, so I haven't ever really worked a job yet. Just been doing research."

"Sounds absolutely ideal."

"Almost. There's a few things that I'd still change." One of them being stuck in California... The whole reason we're on this train and pretending we're not heartbroken until I leave Japan.

"I suppose you can't have everything be perfect."

"Nope. But that's what makes us strive for it. I'd rather have something to work towards instead of just being bored and empty." _Which is what I'm fearing is going to happen in a very short time... Damn. I can't believe how conflicted I feel about this now._

"I agree one-hundred percent."

Closing her eyes, head shifting left and right from the rocking motions of the train winding through track curvature, a contemplative breath wandered from Maho's insides.

_I can't get over the fact that this man I met in the middle of Tokyo is causing me to reconsider my entire lifestyle... And my heart keeps telling this head of mine that its the right thing to do. But is it? Could I just hop back across the ocean and study abroad? Should I bank on everything being the same if I were to come back? Who's to say Okabe wouldn't just find someone else while I'm gone, right? Its not like I can tell him he can't do that._

Grimacing for a moment from the thought, her brow then relaxed.

_Yeah, right. He hasn't dated anyone until I came along. So far we're both the most amazing person that either of us has ever met, and we're an ocean apart. I think he's going to have a hard time letting go of someone that could realistically live anywhere she wants. Especially since he knows I want to go back to Okinawa someday._

Slowly smiling, her eyes opened, flitting up and seeing his well-defined facial features against the railcar's roof.

_I'll come back to Tokyo someday, Okabe, and then we could go to Okinawa like we've talked about. I'll make it happen somehow, I promise._

* * *

**Haneda (Tokyo International) Airport, Ota Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 6:32p.m.**

Leading both Maho and her suitcase along with both arms, Okabe's heart raced as they wandered into the main concourse of the airport, having previously checked in at an interactive kiosk. Looking towards a nearby clock, he exhaled with uncertainty, bringing Maho's attention to him from the sound.

"You said six-thirty, right?"

"Um, yes."

"Its about that time right now."

"Then we're right on schedule, Okabe-san."

"Hopefully security won't take you too long."

"Can't be as bad as L-A-X, honestly."

"L-A-X?"

"Los Angeles International. In America everyone says you should arrive two hours before your flight."

"Two hours?"

"Because of security. The difference is crazy, honestly. This place is way more streamlined and faster, so I'm not really worried."

"Well, if you happen to miss your flight, you know where to go."

Humming sweetly from the thought, Maho nudged against his arm, hiding her rapidly beating heart.

"I'll let you know what's happening either way."

Looking ahead, seeing a line of people standing before the security check, both of them drew to a halt with individual exhales. Then, rolling her suitcase over to her side, Okabe released her hand, garnering her undivided attention as he reached behind himself, pulling his school bag around to the side of his hip.

"Before you continue, I have something."

Hands coming together in patient waiting, Maho watched with increasing interest as he lifted the flap up and over, and began reaching into the bag over his shoulder. Then, after an amusing moment of falsely digging, eyebrow rising as his arm sank inside the satchel with remarkable depth, he suddenly produced a fuzzy black and white creature, lifting it out and offering it to a now wide-eyed Maho.

"Here."

Hesitantly reaching out and gathering a hold of the pleasantly soft, squishy animal, only to realize seconds later that it was a cat with enormous sparkling green eyes, the breath in her lungs vanished. Looking up to Okabe, and finding the smile she always adored spread across his features, she brought the plushie close, tucking it against her bosom with a squeeze of her arms.

"O-Okabe..."

"I don't know if you're a feline sort of person, but... I happened upon this little one, and the more I looked at it, the more it reminded me of you in a remarkable number of ways."

Head sinking, a giggle burst from her throat as her chin nuzzled the cat's head, only to change into a burst of tears.

"Oh my god, its adorable." _And you got it cause it reminded you of me... I can't even..._

Standing still as he stepped closer, brought into an embrace by the taller college student, her arms found their way around his sides, with one hand still holding the plushie as she squeezed him in a embrace that neither wished to end.

_...I can't even believe that we're this close to being so far apart._

Heart pounding, she drug her nose up along his shirt, gazing up at him with an emotion-laden smile, the corners of her mouth shiny from fresh trails of tears. Then, with another reach into his school bag, he produced a handkerchief, and a choked laugh left her throat from the unexpected item, only to wait patiently as he hesitantly brought it against her cheek, erasing the glistening rivers of emotion from one side, and then the other.

"I didn't know you even had a handkerchief."

"Has come in handy a few times." _Like right now, for instance._

Exhaling with humor, eyes still glistening, she blinked several times with a persistent smile, squeezing a new trail free from her eyes, which he summarily wiped clear.

"You're such a goof."

"There's nothing else I would rather be."

Nodding, only for her lips to part with a quiver, she rose onto her toes, and in a much quicker motion than before, Okabe sank down, readily meeting her lips with his own in a kiss. Tilting heads and reuniting in several small collisions, the connection promptly grew deeper as their tongues got involved in an escalation of passion, only to settle back down into a lingering rest against one another. Breathing back and forth between their intimate proximity, eyelids slowly lifted with curiosity, and a fuzzy, dark view of faces gained light and detail as Maho's lips, wet with saliva and emotion, drifted along his bottom lip, finally surpassing friction and slipping away.

_That was amazing... And I'm going to miss it. And you._

Reuniting in a gaze, with the rest of the commuting world drifting by for a lengthy moment, both computer scientists took in one more detailed evaluation of each other's appearances. Then, with a slight turn aside, Okabe's hands tightened behind her back.

_I hate that I'm saying this, but..._ "You should probably... Head over there soon."

Nodding in silence, her arms slithered back along his sides, and in an extremely difficult, simple motion, their bodies slipped free from their shared embrace.

"Yeah."

Heart twisting from the whisper that slipped free from her lips, Okabe's hands awkwardly found their way inside the pockets of his suit coat, and Maho scooped the cat plushie into her arm, reaching aside and gripping the handle of her suitcase firmly.

"Best of luck... With developing Amadeus further."

Standing silent, and finally nodding, her eyes rose from the crimson fabric of his sweater, up to his hazel eyes once more.

"Best of luck with that computer of yours."

"Goodness know we may need it. Been rather expensive to upgrade lately."

Sharing a fleeting round of light laughter, fading away among an already-limited window of time, Okabe turned aside towards the security line nearby, and Maho began hesitant steps in the same direction, only to pause with a glance across her shoulder.

"Well... Goodbye, Okabe-san."

"Farewell, miss Hiyajo."

Finally defeating nearly-overwhelming reluctance, Maho continued forward, swallowing from the sharp ache in her throat that resulted. Wandering in a heading towards a staggered array of guide ropes just ahead, her small mismatched footfall remained hidden among the rolling of her suitcase.

_First it was goodnight... And now its goodbye._

Moving in a steady procession through the line, trying valiantly not to look back, she found her way through a metal detector and security screening, and after gathering her belongings back together, she plucked the cat plushie from a plastic tray, and after studying its sparkling green eyes, meeting hers with a perpetually friendly expression, she marched forward, towing her suitcase along, and trying to keep a fresh wave of emotion from leaving her eyelids.

_But at least I have you, little one. All cute and black-colored and well-intended... Just like him. The most amazing person I never expected to meet, and yet..._

Finally looking over her shoulder in a toss of her hair, her eyes instantly found the distant college student, leaning back against a wall near their parting place. Seeing his hand rise in a wave, her arm lifted in the same motion, and a smile appeared from the last distant glimpse of him.

_...Here I am, still walking away._

Turning away, the last trace of resistance vanished, and emotion cascaded from her eyes as she began into motion once more.

_I'll be back someday, Okabe. I promise. So don't you dare go and forget about me... Not that you would, or could, or... I don't know._

Bringing the fuzzy cat up to her face, her brow quivered above her already-blurred vision.

_Just know that I won't forget about you, no matter how much distance is between us._

Wiping her sleeve across her eyes, she gazed sadly into the distance, slowly wandering towards a distant gate for an ever-approaching flight.

_I hope that's alright with you... Okabe Rintarou._

* * *

**JR Yamanote Line, Taito Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 7:22p.m.**

Standing in a lean inside a commuter train, his arm hanging from a looped strap mounted from the ceiling, Okabe maintained his balance as the day's sixth and final voyage by train sped in a northbound heading towards Akihabara station. Eyes remaining on the floor of the railcar as it rocked in slight movements left and right, his free hand rested on a now-empty school bag, fingers remaining in a solitary curl.

_Three weeks ago... I get sent to this year's tech expo. A week and a half later, I'm hosting Amadeus and its programmer in my own apartment. And one week after that..._

Imagining a swirl of red-cheeked smiles and iridescent twinkles of green, topped off by several instances of sweet, sensual kisses, his expression hardened from the storm of feelings welling up inside his chest.

_...We're already going separate ways. Left with lingering memories and heartaches. What a way to start off the new year._

Eyes widening from the vibration of the smartphone against his leg, his balled hand drifted up and over his school bag, fingers expanding and tugging the phone free from his pocket. Bringing the screen into view, a length of silence finally ended as a message expanded on the screen.

_'Plane's here and everyone's boarding. Thanks again for everything, Okabe. You're really a super amazing guy, as I'm sure I've already told you. P.S., make sure you check the log book whenever you get back. You'll see why I wanted to you to keep it. ^_^'_

Throat constricting from the echo of her voice dancing among the text, he then blinked as an image appeared of both Maho and him in her hotel's lobby, with the attractively dressed young woman happily tucked up against him.

_So that's how that picture turned out..._

Smiling, and saving the memory to his phone's gallery, he began typing a response.

_'Guess that one came out pretty good.'_

_'Yeah. Forgot to show you earlier.'_

_'That's quite alright. Better late than never.'_

_'Yeah. ^_^'_

Looking aside through the train's windows, glimpsing the setting sun hiding behind passing buildings, he then lowered back to the phone in his grasp, and his thumb slowly dragged the message inbox upward, drifting along a long series of messages and correspondence.

_Just like many wonderful things in this world... Better late than never._

Changing over to the phone's image gallery, he began browsing through recent images, only for his heart to race as another image met his eyes. Opening the picture fully, rediscovering a fantastic portrait of Maho peeking up from beneath her bangs with an adorable, feisty smile, Okabe's shoulders slumped.

_Wonderful people too._

Gazing at the image for the span of a minute, he then set it as the background on his phone, and stowed the device back into his pocket as the train began to slow.

_Maybe one day we'll meet again... Hiyajo Maho._

* * *

**Wednesday, January 25th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:03p.m.**

Seated on the comfortable fabric of the relocated loveseat, legs crossed and his sock-covered feet resting on old wooden flooring, Okabe looked at the thick binder resting on his lap with uncertainty.

_Aside from being a readily accessible repository of your knowledge and recent legacy... What could even be hiding in here?_

Lifting the thick cover aside and allowing it to drop to an open rest, his fingers began prying aside groups of pages in an idle browsing through volumes of text and imagery.

_In fact, the only parts of this she even recommended I read are towards the later half. Somewhere around where machine learning starts in th-_

Hand halting, discovering an unfamiliar page clipped into the binder's rings, he peered closer at numerous lines of handwritten characters, eyes widening from the presence of his name at the beginning of a personally addressed note.

_'Dear Okabe Rintarou, Japanese man of mystery. You may have found this note before my actual departure, but regardless of timing, my feelings are likely to be the exact same, so here goes. I could not even begin to thank you for your boundless generosity and hospitality that you've shown during my stay here in Tokyo, both of which have made my month-long stay here much easier and MUCH more entertaining and amazing than I could have expected. While you may have been impressed by my AI and programming, I was much more impressed by your own capabilities, and certainly your own monster cluster computer that did a fine job of running Amadeus. I wish I could have a portable version of your system, so I could just run and modify Amadeus on it whenever I needed to. Maybe someday you'll make a laptop version... Haha. Also, I might not have gotten a chance to properly say so, but your curiosity and passion for artistic and functional computing and its related sciences will take you great places. You will have no trouble finding a career and a place in the ever-expanding industry of digital technology that we are both a part of, I assure you this._

_Please be sure to keep in touch, Okabe-san, because I might end up visiting Japan again in the coming future. ^_^ Best wishes, from one special someone to another,_

_~ Hiyajo Maho, M.C.S.'_

Staring at the end of the note, he remained motionless, only for a grin to force through an otherwise restrictive, stone-silent expression.

_Japanese man of mystery... So she did have some kind of nickname for me after all._

Fingers drifting across the laminated sheet protecting the paper, a quiet chuckle shook his chest.

_...And then to go on and write all of these incredible words. Straight from her heart, no doubt. What a brilliant woman, in every sense of the word._

Eyes closing, fighting back a surge of emotion from mental imagery of her emerald irides, he felt for his phone and swiftly drew it from his pocket, only to hesitate.

_Wait, damn. She wouldn't be able to text in the middle of a sixteen hour flight._

Unlocking the screen, his vision drifted towards an icon for his email client, and he inhaled from the newly presented opportunity.

_...Although, she could certainly see an email whenever she happens to land on solid ground again._

Thumb tapping in a fury of presses that followed, he prepared a new message, pausing from the letters and numerals of her email handle.

_hiyajo54713R1... Salieri, to her own Amadeus. Brilliant and clever. I thought I was clever with things but that woman is unbeatable._

Laughing lightly, his internal resistance slowly weakening, he began composing a message.

_'Dearest Hiyajo Maho, while it is sad that we have to resort to indirect contact, I am grateful that I can still speak to you regardless. I found your page in the binder, and I now understand your earlier intent. Your words are heartfelt and incomparable, just like all else you've said and done while you've been here. Thank you for taking the time to offer such a memento, much like that feline friend of yours that reminded me so greatly of you while you weren't around. I don't know how readily you will be able to respond, but I await the time when you can, as conversation with you is incomparable in any form and medium._

_Best, from your computing compatriot across the Pacific,_

_~ Okabe R.'_

_There. Sent._

Watching the phone display a confirmation, throat and facial features tight, a single breath drew in and out. Then, in an utterly startling moment, his phone buzzed in his hands, and he exhaled from a rapid response to his message listed among prior emails.

_Already? But how?_

Opening the response, his lips curled together between his teeth.

_'That didn't take long. ^_^ But I guess I'm not surprised. You are so very welcome, you cute goof. Calling our conversations incomparable is an understatement with your fancy wordings and the variety of expressions you make all the while. In case you were wondering, there actually is wi-fi on this airliner so I can still email. Maybe you already assumed that, since you're clever as ever. Also, my feline friend has a name now. Bet you can't guess. *^_^*_

_~ Maho'_

Responding right away with a racing heart, his thumbs churned into motion.

_'I assumed you couldn't text, but emails would be queued and sent regardless, so that was a fortunate guess. Naming your cat didn't take too long either. I bet you could guess where I found it.'_

Resting his phone onto the binder in his lap, surrounded by the handwritten note, he gazed at the red device, patiently waiting until it vibrated on the pages in a brief drift of movement.

She must be on her laptop to respond so quickly.

Blinking as an inline-attached image appeared of the black and white cat plushie, looking out of the window of an airliner at an expanse of high-altitude clouds beyond, his hands tightened from the reminder of her ongoing increase of distance.

_'His name's Tucker, the Tokyo Tuxedo. You found him at Mandarake, right?'_

Sitting motionless as another image appeared in another message, with the cat now tucked up beside Maho's face, both hidden beneath a blanket.

_'Wish you were here too, but kitty snuggles will have to do.'_

Solemnly tapping on a prompt to reply, his finger slowly created a response.

_'Sure did. Told him he was destined for a great adventure.'_

_'Aww. ^_^ He sure is. He's gonna be seeing all kinds of new things.'_

_'I don't doubt it.'_

Vision blurring as his phone darkened, and the screen shut off, a pained sigh seeped from his insides as his eyes shut.

"Thinking about her?"

Startled from Mayuri's voice across the room, having nearly forgotten she was in the lab, Okabe swallowed.

"Can't help it."

Mouth opening from his low-voiced whisper, and then seeing a glint of something drip from his face, Mayuri rose to her feet in a wander closer, slippers padding across the wood floor of an otherwise silent apartment. Coming up behind the couch, his head silhouetted in front of the idle computer screen, her arms slid along his shoulders, gathering him into a hug from behind as she leaned onto the couch.

"Okarin?"

"Yes?"

Sensing the off tone to his voice, her hands slid back to his shoulders, gripping them in a gentle massaging motion.

"...Have you cried at all?"

Seeing his head lower in continued silence, only for his hand to rise and cover his eyes, her chin rose, resting on top of his messy hair.

"You can, if you need to. Mayushii won't mind."

"Thank you... Mayuri."

* * *

**Thursday, January 26th, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, California, USA; 10:09a.m.**

Setting aside a mug of steadily cooling tea, Hiyajo Maho remained in a realm of morning silence, still recuperating from jet lag as she looked at the screen of one of the lab computers in a glaze.

_Load faster, please... The wi-fi in Japan was light speed compared to this._

Blinking from the distant clank of a door latch, a series of quiet footsteps began an approach, drawing to an eventual halt somewhere behind and leaving Maho sitting still, waiting with apprehension.

"Sooo..."

Shrinking from the drawl of a familiar, younger voice, Maho's eyes squeezed shut in a momentary grimace.

_Oh, you. I already know what you're going to ask, Kurisu._

"...Senpai?"

"Yes?"

"You promised to tell me about it when you got back."

"What, the date?"

" _Yes!_ How did it go?"

Peeking back towards Kurisu, seeing her curious violet eyes sparkling above a cheeky smile, Maho looked away again, poorly resisting a blush.

"It went fine."

"Just fine? Tell me more."

Exhaling, she turned in the chair and settled into a lean against the table's edge, eyes wandering along the patterned carpet below.

"It was nice. We walked around and explored the shops on Akihabara's streets, had dinner on the ninth floor of some big restaurant place, and it started snowing towards the end."

"Mmmm. That's romantic."

"He made for a very nice date... Like you said."

"Did you get a kiss?"

Eyes closing, and head tilting, Maho's heart stirred from a rush of intimate imagery.

"I did. Several, actually."

"Oooh, more than one? That's exciting! He must have been good to make _you_ want more."

Flitting open, her vision wandered up to the tiled ceiling, and a dreamy smile crept across her lips.

"Oh, he definitely was."

Stifling a giggle of amusement with her palm, Kurisu fondly eyed the bashfully red cheeks of her shorter scholarly compatriot.

_Oh senpai... Seeing you like this is adorable. Didn't I tell you that having fun in Japan was worth your while?_

Watching then as she retrieved her blue and white smartphone from a pocket, Kurisu's head tilted with a grin of curiosity.

"Texting him?"

"Maybe." ... _And by maybe I mean absolutely._

After a variety of taps, Maho's finger remained at rest on the screen after pressing on the send button, and a silent sigh drifted from her nose.

_Okabe. Someday soon I'll fly back to Tokyo on my own accord, and when I find you again..._

Picturing his tall stature, slightly unkempt hair, and gentle-yet-curious hazel eyes, an echo of light laughter and softly spoken words reverberated through the depths of her mind.

_...I hope you won't mind if I stay with you for a while. And maybe kiss you some more._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /END Part one, 'Logic;Gate'
> 
> /BEGIN Part two, 'Logic;Sequence'
> 
> STAY TUNED!


	13. 1101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers, C. Betchimov checking in. Oddly enough I originally planned on ending this story at the chapter before and was intending to upload a sequel as a later companion, but it turns out that ending it in such a manner would have been possibly disappointing, and a bit clunky to force everyone to go to another story... That said, the intended sequel is now a continuation, so consider the second half of this as 'Logic;Sequence', per that weird line of code on the prior chapter. x)
> 
> Have fun!

 

 

 

**Friday, April 20th, 2012; Los Angeles, California, USA; 8:37p.m.** **_Three months later..._ **

Seated on the thick carpeting of a living room, bobbing side to side in a series of mirthy little leans back and forth, Hiyajo Maho remained in a state of constantly changing observation of her surroundings, distractedly looking in various directions at posters and curios occupying places on the walls and shelving. Seated among a circle of male and female collegiate students passing around a glass pipe, varying odors of exhaled smoke wandered through the air of the house, pushed by a current of air conditioning that fought away the heat of a west coast evening. Somewhere in the distance, a stereo played an ongoing mix of music from a variety of previous years, and the waft of recently barbecued food teased her small nose with further sensory distraction.

_Rocking the eighties tonight, apparently. Are they still cooking out back? Feels like they've been grilling for hours. Hope someone bought more propane. They've got enough plastic cups here for an army. An army of rich nerds. Haha, wow. That's what I'm surrounded by. I guess I am one, kind of. I'm not sure being a scholarshipper counts as being rich but, huh. Whatever. Who cares. I don't._

Looking down at her bosom, and then her lap further below, she studied the mesh fabric of black and white striped gym shorts surrounding her thighs. Blinking several times at the sight of her folded legs, only for her attention to flit back upward with a toss of her ponytail-bound hair behind her neck, she tilted to one side, only to lean in the other direction. Vision drifting along the floor, finding a matching set of sneakers and then rising along a familiar pair of crossed, slender legs, her eyes eventually met those of Makise Kurisu seated on a couch nearby, a bottle in her hand and matching goofy grins spread across both of their faces from afar.

_I see you. Sitting there like that. Genius._

Shaking her head, and bursting into a giggle, she resumed leaning back and forth as she looked ahead, realizing several others were watching her motions with a mixture of smiles and laughter.

"Feeling pretty good there, Hiyajo?"

_"Can't you tell? She's almost dancing there."_

_"Dangerously close to perma-grin."_

_"For real."_

Smiling from the commentary tossed back and forth among the group, Maho's shoulders lifted in a shrug, shifting the fabric of her loose light green T-shirt, which displayed a diagonal band of outlined stars large and small across her chest.

"Hey, Maho, I just remembered. Are you still talking to that one guy?"

"Hmm?"

_"I'm not sure she's going to remember, Nicole."_

"Oh shush, ladies never forget cute boys. Maho!"

Blinking from the addressing from one particular young woman leaning forward among the circle, she promptly ceased movement as most of the ongoing conversations around her hushed into silence.

"What?"

"Didn't you meet some guy when you went on the trip to Japan?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. I did."

"In Tokyo, right?"

"Yes. Akihabara."

"Do you still talk to him?"

Lips parting, Maho's eyes widened in realization of her question.

"Kind of. Not as much as I used to a month or two ago."

"Aww. Was he cute?"

Sifting through a series of dated memories, Maho's neck grew warm, and her cheeks began turning red, mind whirling from a resurgence of imagery of a hazel eyed computer scientist.

_Oh god. He sure was. Holy crap that boy was handsome...!_

_"Oh man, look at that face."_

_"I think that's a yes."_

"Do you have any pictures?"

_"I bet he looks like all of the rest of them."_

_"Wow, shut up dude."_

Attention jerking aside as the padding of footsteps revealed a human body plopping down onto the carpet beside her, Maho suddenly discovered the presence of Kurisu's red hair, and a cheeky smile on her face.

"I'm not Maho, but since she's currently spellbound, and I've seen this particular Japanese man..."

Staring at her friend's face as her violet eyes peeked aside to her, Maho sat captive in a whirl of heartache and embarrassment.

"...Yes. He is quite handsome."

"You've seen him, Kurisu?"

"I have."

"What, she showed you pictures of him?"

"Her AI interacted with him during their stay in Tokyo, so I've seen video logs of him, actually."

_"Ohhhh shit."_

"So he is cute?"

"Cute and tall. Probably a foot taller than her."

Giggling as Maho's chin buried into her collar among a rise of laughter, Kurisu nudged her shoulder as she remained silent.

"...I'm pretty sure that's one reason she ended up on a date with him."

"MAHO! You never said anything about that!"

"Daammmnnnn, didn't know you had that in you, little lady!"

_"That's awesome."_

"Was it good?"

Sheepishly nodding, Maho's eyes finally lifted back up towards her audience, only to burst into a giggle.

"Y-Yes. It was amazing."

"In the middle of Tokyo, huh?"

_"So she told you about this, Makise?"_

"She did, but I had to pester her a little."

Poking Maho's shoulder with her index finger, protruding from her grasp of a wine cooler, Kurisu laughed as Maho's face beamed with a grin.

"I guess it started snowing towards the end, and she got all sorts of kisses."

Giggling with ongoing embarrassment from an uproar of jeers and laughter, Maho finally pushed away Kurisu's prodding finger, nearly flopping onto the carpet beside herself in a tip of balance.

"So, Maho, this begs the question... If he's cute and you went on a date with him, why _aren't_ you talking to him still?"

_"Long distance relationships, yo."_

_"Doesn't matter."_

_"Seriously? Yes it does. Have you ever had to deal with one?"_

_"I think having an entire ocean between you makes it tougher than normal."_

_"Hah, that blows."_

"God you guys are being mean. Maho!"

Recapturing the attention of a red-faced, goofily smiling computer scientist, her eyelashes fluttered in a series of distracted blinks.

"You said you haven't talked to him much... Why don't you call him?"

A reprise of laughter began from the rapid change in her expression, and her vision sank to the floor, staring at the pairs of shoes forming a circle.

"...I mean, if he's out there in whatever time it is in Japan, he might pick up."

Eyes continuing to widen, heart racing from the prospect of speaking to a special individual, Maho's lungs began pulling in a great breath.

_I should. Oh my god, I should. I haven't talked to him for almost a month but I should!_

"Right now?"

"Yes!"

Whirling towards Kurisu beside her, who was nodding with amusement and a mouthful of alcohol, Maho then looked towards the faces of her surrounding audience with building excitement.

"Do it!"

"Call him up!"

"I bet he'd love to talk to the cute American girl he met."

_"Short girl and tall boy. Awesome."_

Exhaling, and then feeling for her blue and white smartphone in her pocket, Maho pulled the device free from her gym shorts, thumb fumbling and unlocking the screen.

"Okay. _Okay._ I have to start Skype, hold on."

Tapping on a distinctly labeled phone number in the contact list, the screen changed to the beginnings of a phone call, and she stared at the device, tingling with anticipation.

"Is it ringing?"

"Yes."

"What time is it Japan right now?"

_"I think it won't matter when whats-his-face realizes she's calling."_

Watching the ongoing dialing with a slowly building sense of worry, Maho's body cooled in a shiver, only to gape at the screen as the call was answered, and a faint sound of fumbling and an exhale played from the speaker, widening numerous pairs of eyes around herself as she slapped the phone up against her ear.

_Holy shit, he picked up!_

* * *

**Saturday, April 21st, 2012; Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan; 12:41p.m.**

Standing on the tiled rooftop of his decades-old apartment, Okabe Rintarou repeatedly flicked several items of clothing outward among a wandering coastal breeze, clipping them onto a series of clotheslines strung between two poles. Repeating the process of hanging textiles out to dry under the warmth of the spring sun, his eyes scrutinized each damp item as they were lifted up into the air, silhouetted against the deep blue sky beyond.

_Pants are done, now for the collection of shirts and... Hm?_

Releasing his fingers from a sprung-open clothespin as his pocket began vibrating, with a ringtone emitting in tandem, his brow furrowed from the persistent buzzing. Reaching down into the pocket of his cargo shorts, plucking his red smartphone from its depths, he unlocked the screen with a swipe of his thumb.

_I already told you I'll be by the store next weekend. Staying here this t-_

Blinking, his prior thought halting outright, he stared at the caller ID emblazoned across his screen as the device continued making noise in his palm.

_'Emerald Eyed Enigma; Hiyajo Maho'_

Mouth opening with utter surprise from the inbound call, he swiftly tapped on a large icon to answer the call.

_My god... Maho? We haven't spoken over the phone in almost a month._

Bringing the device up to his ear with an exhale, his head turned aside among a rapidly increasing heartbeat, vision wandering towards the surrounding skyline of downtown Tokyo.

"Hiyajo-san."

Blinking from the unmistakably innocent exhale meeting his ears, his lips parted to speak, only to remain silent instead.

"O-Okabe. Hey."

"Hello."

"Its been a while... I'm sorry."

"Indeed. But don't be sorry. I can only imagine how busy you've been as of late."

"Oh, well... Um, still. I feel like we haven't spoken over the phone in ages."

"Perhaps."

Standing still in a moment of silence, with indiscernible voices filtering in from Maho's end of the call, and then a hushed whisper and several shuffling sounds, his eyebrow rose as her voice suddenly returned.

"How are you?"

"I'm as well as I can be. How about you?"

"I'm... Same as always. Kind of. Still doing the same stuff here. Right now I'm with some friends, actually. Its, _what_ , eight forty here? Yeah. What time is it there in Tokyo?"

"Getting on forty-five after noon."

"Huh. How's the weather?"

"Starting to get hot."

"Yeah. Been pretty warm here."

"Your sort of temperature, as I recall."

"Warm? Yeah. Thankfully isn't too hot here right now... What are you up to?"

"Laundry."

Smiling from the delightful giggle following his concise answer, Okabe's vision rose a short ways into the sky.

"Really?"

"Yes. Hanging clothes out to dry currently."

"No dryer, huh?"

"No need in the summer."

"Almost summer."

"True, I suppose we're still a few weeks away."

"Are your summers hot in Tokyo?"

"Unbearably. Especially in the later months. Dreadful heat."

"Does it cool down in the evenings some?"

"A little bit. What's the temperature like in California?"

"Balmy. Nice right now cause I'm inside. This house has a swamp cooler."

"I didn't know you lived in a house."

"Oh no, I don't. This is someone's place."

"Ah."

"I'm at a party, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not like me, is it?"

"That's not necessarily true."

"Mmm. Well. Makise kinda dragged me along, telling me I need to get... _Huh? Yes, he's... Wow. Of course I'm speaking in Japanese to him, what makes you think he knows English? I'm walking away now_."

Arm crossing beneath his elbow, Okabe's head tilted with amusement from the continued background noises, and Maho's remarkably sudden switch to English language.

"...Sorry. People are doing and saying things. Actually going to the backyard to get away, hold on."

"Holding on."

"A-Ah, I mean, obviously you're holding onto your phone, just... _Okay._ Opening this door, and... Wow this grass feels nice."

Exhaling in a chuckle from her errant observation, Okabe peeked back towards his clothing as it drifted along an invisible current of air.

"Are you feeling alright, Maho?"

"Doing pretty fine actually."

"You sound a bit... Interesting.

"I feel interesting."

"Partying hard?"

"Sort of. Not really, actually. Was hanging around earlier with people and you were brought up and..."

"...And?"

"Well... I thought about you a bunch, and decided to call you. Honestly I'm really glad you actually picked up."

"Why wouldn't I answer a call from you? Other than being possibly busy on a weekend... I can't imagine ignoring someone I care about."

"Awww, god you're still so sweet and patient. I've always really liked that about you, Okabe-san."

"Thank you, and you're welcome."

"I wasn't sure if you'd still want to talk to me."

"Our correspondence may have slowed, but... Its not as if I've just forgotten our time together."

Aching from a heartfelt, emotional sigh that drifted from the speaker, his fingers tightened around his side from the sound.

"Okabe... You're such a sweetheart. I can't believe months have already gone by since that time in January."

"They've been long and adventurous in the interim."

"Yeah. I'll say."

Looking back towards the rooftop access, with its door remaining ajar, Okabe's eyes lowered along the concrete tiles as a hum of thought issued from the speaker.

"...So I'm walking barefoot out in the grass here. Neighbors have a sprinkler going... Have you ever played in a sprinkler?"

"Can't say I have."

"Darn. Must be an American thing."

"We have pools and water parks here."

"I bet they're amazing."

"Certainly nice for the summer days we deal with."

"That's like the beaches here. Cool down in freezing ocean water after being barbecued by the sun..."

Nose wrinkling with an exhale of amusement, Okabe squeezed the phone between his neck and shoulder, lifting a shirt from the laundry basket by his feet.

"You said Makise brought you to a party?"

"Yep. She did."

"Kicking and screaming?"

Smiling from her resulting giggle, the sleeve of a shirt slipped from his grasp, dangling by one clothespin.

"I mean, it's a Friday night, nice weather, not much better to do."

"Certainly."

"There's no question that I would rather be hanging out with you but... Obviously there's some distance to cover for that to happen."

"Alas."

"Yeah..."

Lifting another textile from the basket below, his heart sank a little from her melancholic drawl.

"...Um, how are the others? In the lab?"

"They're doing well."

"Good. Daru still doing the otaku thing?"

"As always."

"Mayuri?"

"She's been busy with cosplay work."

"Really? I didn't know she dresses up for that kind of thing."

"Oh, she doesn't dress in costume herself. She enjoys making them for her friends to wear."

"Still, that's really neat!"

"She's pretty quiet about it normally."

"One of those sorts of hobbies kept on the down-low. I know that feeling."

"I think we all do."

"Yeah... Like you and your cluster monster."

"Truth be told, our system is a diabolical secret lurking within Akiba."

"Hah, yeah, I'll say. I still think about it now and then."

"I don't doubt it. Sadly we haven't branched out into a mobile version yet."

"Damn. Let me know when you do and I'll buy the first copy of the OS for my laptop."

Grinning from the thought, Okabe's eyes wandered aside, cheek nesting against the screen of the phone.

"Speaking of that thing..."

"The battery's still doing fine, you goof."

"Good."

"You're still thinking about that... That's funny and adorable."

"I-I mean, I don't want a useful gift to just fail on you right away."

"It hasn't, don't worry. Still using the mouse too. Love that thing. Pretty much bring it everywhere now."

"I don't doubt it."

"Got all kinds of neat things out there in Tokyo... I kinda miss the food now and then."

"Need me to ship you some?"

"No need, I'm surviving on local and imported yummies. Actually... If you were able to ship something that won't expire... That would be awesome."

"I could look into it."

"Nooo, I'm kinda joking. Don't spend your money like that."

"If you insist."

"I do! If anything I'd pay for shipping. You've got better things to spend your money on."

"Hardly."

"Yes you do."

Exhaling, and chuckling with passive defeat from her insistence, Okabe drug his free fingers along a still-damp pair of pants as another sigh wandered from the phone's earpiece.

"...God, I'm so glad you picked up, Okabe. I know it was kinda out of nowhere but I'm so happy right now, its not even funny."

"You're quite welcome, Maho."

"We used to talk like this almost all the time. I don't even understand how it kinda fizzled out, you know. Not that it actually fizzled, but... You understand what I mean, right?"

"I do."

"Okay. Point is, I want to talk to you more. Free and easy like this. You're the most easygoing not-American person I think I've ever met, so I'm just... _Well_... I want to listen to everything you have to say, no matter how serious or silly. Does that make sense?"

"It does, and... Honestly I've felt the same for quite some time."

"Yay! Oh my gosh, even just random calls like this would be amazing."

"Ah, well, I think we need to reconfirm our schedules with each other before errantly contacting one another."

"Yeah. Its the weekend right now, pretty much, so this works for tonight. I'll text you times I'm not busy, okay? Actually, why don't we just text whenever and see who's doing what? Isn't that how it was working before?"

"I believe so."

"Okay. Yeah. We'll do that, and... _Hold on_."

"Holding."

"... _How long have you been sitting there? Oh. And you're... What? No. Yes. Taking notes? Why the hell_..."

Moving his phone to the opposite side of his neck, Okabe listened to the faint English conversation, and a scuffle of sounds from fingers grasping the phone on the opposite end of the call.

_She's really distracted... Or something. I can't think of the last time she's rambled so freely. Still... Even in her apparent state, she's a delight to listen to._

"...Okay. So Makise, real Amadeus, is taking notes on me cause I'm pacing around in the grass talking to you."

"Maybe she realized the grass was greener where you are."

"Psh, that's a nice thought. But I'm pretty sure she's kinda tipsy."

"Maybe she felt like checking on you."

"And writing a thesis about it. _Huh? Yes, you! Who else carries around a notepad like that?_ "

Pausing from her burst of laughter, Okabe's eyes lowered from a surge of memory.

"...I miss that."

"Hm? Missed what?"

"The way you laugh like that, in person. I miss it."

Remaining silent from her soft exhale that followed, he brushed a sleeve of another newly-hung shirt.

"I miss all kinds of things about you, Okabe. Is it alright that I do? I mean..."

"Yes. Of course."

"Okay. That's why I'm so glad you answered, honestly. I suddenly realized I haven't heard from you in a while and I don't..."

"...You don't want me to slip away. Which is why I made sure to answer."

"Ohhh... I don't know how you always know what to say but... Damn, Okabe. You speak some kind of magic or something and its amazing."

Laughing lightly with a needed uplift, he smiled.

"I think we can both agree on that one."

"Magic voices?"

"Yes."

"Sure. Your magic is more than just your voice, but, aside from that... Oof. My legs are getting tired cause I've been walking a racetrack around this lawn."

"Why don't you sit down?"

"If I do then I'm probably not going to get up for an hour."

"Whatever is necessary."

"Plus I'd keep talking to you, and I feel like... Holy crap, I didn't even ask at first. Am I interrupting anything you're doing?"

"Not at all."

"You were hanging laundry, right?"

"I still am."

"Do you need two hands?"

"I've been using both."

"Oh. _Huh_. Well... Okay. I think I'm gonna let you focus on that, if that's alright."

Chuckling from her needless concern, Okabe waved away her worry.

"Honestly you've been making this task much more entertaining."

"I have? Maybe, hmmm... I guess we can always call again sometime later. Why don't you call me when you're free? Later on, I mean. Like tomorrow?"

"Can do."

"Okay. You can text whenever you feel like it too. I promise I'll respond."

"I know you will."

"Awww... I definitely will. Message me as much as you want, mkay?"

Neck warming from her sweet hum, Okabe nodded.

"Absolutely."

"Goof."

"Hmph. Says the emerald eyed enigma."

"The... W _-What?_ "

"Emerald, eyed, enigma. That's been my nickname for you since we first met."

"Seriously?"

"One hundred percent."

"Since back in January?"

"Yes."

"Oh... My gosh. I didn't know that."

"I haven't told you until now."

"Yeah... I know. That's so sweet."

"I find it fitting, personally."

"Totally. _Oh my god_. You seriously called me that?"

"That's what my phone showed when you called."

Grinning from her utterly surprised laughter, he waited patiently for her to settle back into peaceful silence.

"Ohh, Okabe-san. You've been so fun to talk to, like always."

"Likewise."

"Don't be a stranger, okay? I swear I'll answer if you call."

"Within reason."

"Yeah. You know what I mean though."

"Yes I do."

"Okay... Um, I guess I'll let you get back to your laundry stuff."

"Alrighty."

"Been really nice to talk to you."

"Yes it has."

"Okay. Goodbye, Okabe."

"Talk to you soon, Maho."

"Mmmm... I hope so."

Laughing lightly, and lifting the phone from his neck, his thumb hesitantly tapped on a button to end the call, and a great exhale left his lungs, replaced by a steady heartbeat.

_Wow. I don't even know how to describe the course of that conversation but, all the same... I'm glad it happened._

Gazing up into the sky with a lift of his chin, the distant wisps of contrails led his eyes towards a slowly banking airliner far in the distance, only for his vision to lower again from the aching reminder of their distance.

_Hiyajo-san..._

Drifting across several icons on his phone's main screen, he tapped on a button for the device's image gallery, and after several scrolls, an unforgettable image of a beautiful, date-dressed Maho appeared near this thumb, brought up to full-screen with a single tap.

_...I've almost forgotten how lovely you are. Those eyes, and that confident smile... I wonder if her hair is still that long too. Probably is._

Eyelids drifting shut, browsing through a different gallery of imagery tucked away in his mind, a smile blossomed into a curled grin.

_To think we kissed, and briefly dated. For a time, I had that woman in the palm of my hand. And now..._

Peeking back open to the locked and revered image on his phone, a breath wandered from his lungs as a spring breeze brushed along his shirt in a ripple.

_...Its a shame I cant turn back time to see her again._

* * *

**Los Angeles, California, USA; 8:54p.m.**

Standing in the middle of a slightly overgrown backyard, Maho's heart beat as she looked through several precious images taken months before, brow peaking with tingles of emotion as the last of the evening's light continued fading.

_God these are cute... Taken in January... And its already almost May. Right? Yeah. I can't believe that much time has already gone by since those days._

"I thought you said you were going to sit down, senpai."

Attention jerking upward to Kurisu, seated on the edge of the concrete pad nearby, Maho blinked with confusion from the spoken statement, only to pocket her phone and lurch into motion toward her.

"Oh, yeah. Kinda forgot, sorry."

"Its alright. I'm sure your sweet love in Japan was distracting you."

"Seriously? We're not at that point."

"Maybe not officially. What does the little senpai inside your heart say?"

Turning away with a blush, and plopping down beside her friend, Maho's arms crossed on top of her knees.

"She's not sure."

"Not sure if you love your Japanese man?"

"Oh my god, shut up. We went on one date after two weeks."

"Still. Seeing how you acted while you were talking to him showed plenty of signs about your feelings."

"Hmph."

"Enough for me to notate."

Looking at Makise, and then the scribbles on the notepad in her grasp, Maho suddenly lurched over in an attempt to grab it.

"What did you even write?!"

" _Nuh uh!_ Not until you're sober!"

"Says you! Don't think I haven't seen you downing wine coolers left and right."

Giggling as she easily kept the notepad out of Maho's reach, Kurisu leaned against her smaller compatriot.

"I've only had three."

"And three is enough to get a white genius girl wasted."

"I'm surprised you haven't drank anything, senpai."

Arms lowering in temporary defeat, Maho remained in a lean against her.

"Well that's cause I decided to try smoking instead."

"And how's that going?"

"Huh, well, after scorching my lungs, I've been... Definitely feeling funny for a while. Everything's been really interesting and amusing."

"How was the phone call?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Maho I know is usually pretty awkward until she gets a little something in her system, so..."

"So, what, that's why you were taking notes?"

"Kind of. Plus I know mister Rintarou is a special person in your heart. I really couldn't resist seeing how you talk to him, especially like this."

"Wow."

"Mmhm."

"Even though we were speaking in Japanese?"

"I understood some of it."

"Oh. Awesome. Eavesdropper."

"I've been sitting here for maybe five minutes."

"I know."

Shaking her head, allowing both of them to straighten upright, Maho's head settled onto her opening palms in a sigh.

"Anyway... I don't usually like being pressured into something... But I am glad I called him."

"I don't think pressure is the right word. With how you looked earlier, I think you realized you haven't talked to him in a while."

"I haven't. Been probably three weeks."

"So it was worth it, right?"

"Calling him? Absolutely."

"Good. I'm sure he was happy to talk to you too."

Peering up towards the friendly smile on Kurisu's face, Maho's cheeks lifted from a smile of her own.

"I think he was. He kept laughing towards the end."

"Did you tell him you were like this?"

"No. I told him I was here at a party, so he might have assumed something, but..."

"But, you didn't want him to know you were high."

"I'm not even sure people get high in Japan."

"I'm sure someone does."

"He probably thinks I had something to drink... I had one when we went to the restaurant in Akiba."

"On the date?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. Some fruity rum thing. I thought I told you this."

"I might not remember if you did."

"I might have."

"Anyway, point is, I'm sure he's not surprised."

"Maybe not. He was doing laundry when I called him... Pretty cute to imagine, actually."

"Yeah?"

Giggling with an increasing blush as Kurisu nudged her shoulder, Maho's eyes wandered into the dark grass beyond.

"Hanging stuff out to dry, I think."

"Sounds like husband material."

"Wha... Cause he's drying his clothes?"

"Any man that can take care of household tasks on his own is one to keep, senpai."

"A-Ah, I mean, he's pretty much been on his own in his apartment with his friends."

"Mmm, got his own place, huh?"

"I've told you about the lab. I know I have."

"With the big computer you ran Amadeus on. I remember seeing that."

"Yep."

"Sooo... You are going to keep talking to him. Right?"

"Um, yeah! Didn't I say so?"

"Saying and doing are different things."

"Oh shush. Why wouldn't I talk to a handsome guy like him?"

"Even though he's five thousand miles away?"

"Even that. We've done video calls before."

"I know."

Chin rising, eyes wandering into the rapidly darkening sky above the neighborhood roof lines, Maho's arms drew back, palms spreading onto the cracked concrete and holding herself up in a lean.

"Besides... Its not like I could just forget the first guy I've kissed abroad."

"Mmm... Daydream about his lips, do you?"

"And his eyes, and his messy hair... And he's so tall. _God_. I never got a measurement but I'm sure he's six feet."

"He does sound handsome."

"He is!"

"Handsome enough for our little lady to make a move on him."

Head leaning back with an amused hum, Maho gazed towards the dim stars appearing among the city's glow of light.

_Even with only two weeks of knowing him_... "That's for sure."

* * *

Sitting on the well-worn wood and fabric of a dining room chair, her head settled atop her crossed arms on a dining table covered with plastic cups, Maho stared out of a nearby window in a glaze at the dark street outside. Listening to the echo of music blasting from the adjacent living room, slowly growing weary of the lingering smells of smoke and half-finished alcohol, her lungs deflated with a seep of breath from her nose.

_I shouldn't have hung up. Felt like being nice, he wasn't even busy... He even said so. And I hung up. Can't just call back now, cause he's probably busy now. Haven't even gotten a text yet._

Flopping aside onto her cheek, pressing against the bone of her slender forearm, Maho stared at the dimly lit drywall beside the table, discerning random shapes in the relief of the wall's surface.

_Maybe he'll actually call tomorrow. I probably will if he won't. At least he knows I want to. Maybe he wants to. Maybe he's just waiting until I'm not a rambling vegetable. I'm sure that's it. I don't even remember how I sounded earlier but I'm sure he was amused or something... Kinda can't believe I spoke Japanese with the way I am... At least I think I did. Shit. What if... Okay, what the hell is touching me?_

Blinking from the sensation of something on her shoulder, Maho jerked up from her arms, only to discover Kurisu standing beside the table, her palm resting on her upper arm.

"Oh, hey."

"You look pretty done, senpai."

"Mmm... Just kinda being here."

"Clearly."

"What's up?"

"Kate and Ian were thinking about heading to In-N-Out, or Sonic maybe. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah." _Really hungry, actually._

Nodding aside towards a nearby door, Kurisu jingled a set of keys in her shorts pocket with a smile.

"Let's bail. We're probably going back to the dorms right afterward."

"What time is it?"

"A little after eleven."

"Is that too early?"

"Nobody said we had to stay here all night."

Pushing upright from the surface, and brushing her bushy ponytail back over her shoulder, Maho scooted the chair back and flopped down onto her feet.

"Have you seen my flip... _Flops?_ "

"By the door."

Eyes following Makise's outstretched arm to a crowd of shoes and sandals surrounding the home's entry, Maho wandered over in a fuzz, blinking from the odd feeling of straps pushing between her toes as she stepped into the open footwear.

_"Are you girls heading out?"_

"With Ian and Kate. Getting dinner."

_"Oh, cool!"_

"Are you two ready?"

_"Yep!"_

Blinking from the unseen conversation behind as the front door swung open, Maho peered up towards her taller redhead friend, who simply waited with a smile and a gesture of her hand towards the outside evening.

"You first, senpai."

"Oookay."

Stepping out onto a concrete and brick entryway, and then wandering off the path through tufts of dry lawn grass, she peered back towards the home's illuminated windows hidden by closed shutters.

_Party house. They must be great neighbors._

Taking in a breath of the warm night air and bringing her hands into the pockets of her shorts, Maho gripped her wallet and phone residing in both. Head turning from a laugh and light conversation, Makise and two other less-familiar college students holding hands passed in a heading along the sidewalk, bringing Maho's eyes further to the angular shapes of a massive convertible car parked on the side of the street.

_Oh yeah. That thing._

Unable to resist a smile from the instantly recognizable vintage vehicle, Maho hurried forward to catch up with the others, eyes taking in the muted pink color and reflections of streetlights on the vehicle's chrome trim.

_Yep. This freaking car. I think everyone on campus knows who it belongs to._

Stepping around the opening door and clambering into the front seat, shortly after the young couple settled into the rear, Maho tugged the great steel door shut with a slam of a heavy latch. Looked aside as Kurisu slid into the driver's seat with a flourish of ease, closing the opposite door with a swift tug, a shuffle of clothing and seat belts met her ears from behind as her fingers curled around the door handle to her right.

_"What year is this beast?"_

"Fifty-nine."

_"Cadillac, right?"_

"Eldorado."

_"Oh my god."_

_"I still can't believe this is your daily driver, Kurisu."_

"Believe it. It was my grandma's back in the day. She loved to cruise in this thing."

_"Not saying it ain't awesome. Definitely is."_

Starting the classic car with a twist of keys, the machine shook and rattled to life in a roar of a V8 engine and free-flowing exhaust, bringing a variety of smiles to the occupant's faces.

"Okay. Which place are we going?"

_"Honestly I'm thinking Sonic now."_

_"Me too."_

"You fine with that, Maho?"

Turning aside from Kurisu's voice, she nodded distractedly, fumbling with her seat belt.

"Y-Yeah. Sounds good actually."

Settling into the vintage fabric seat as the enormous convertible drifted backward with a rumble, Maho watched with an odd sense of fascination as the slender twenty-year old redhead spun a wide steering wheel in several revolutions, flicking on the headlights with a touch of a large knob on the dashboard.

"Alrighty... Lets roll!"

Leaning aside as the vehicle crept out of its parking space, the machine lurched forward in a rumble of acceleration along the otherwise quiet suburban street, and Maho's arm rested on the top edge of the door, settling her chin onto it and looking ahead as a current of moving air tossed her dark hair back.

_Heh. Cruising, USA... You'd probably like this, Okabe. We don't have much in the way of mass transit here in the states, but we do have lots of cars and lots of wide open roads. Unless you're on the interstate in rush hour... Ugh. Actually, honestly, Japan's got things going much better with their gobs of trains. I didn't get into a single taxi or bus back in January. No traffic, and no hassles._

Startled by the sudden introduction of radio music from the car's stereo, Maho peeked across her shoulder, seeing Makise's long red hair drift along, a smile on her lips and focus in her eyes as they wound through several streets in a series of turns.

_...Oh, hell, you'd better not still be buzzed, Kurisu. I know you've driven this thing a million times, but I want to make it back to the university intact. Plus I want to call a Japanese boy tomorrow. I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier._

Glancing out at the passing suburbs, squinting from the constant wind in her face, Maho twisted in her seat, looking back towards the long pointed fins of the convertible with its bullet tail-lights aglow far behind.

_Alright, whatever. Just... Get us to Sonic. I'm craving a chili cheese coney like nobody's business all of a sudden._

* * *

Busily munching the second half of a foot-long hot dog, Maho's cheeks remained in a flush of flavorful enjoyment as the Cadillac's radio plucked tunes of classic rock from the air.

_God this tastes good. At least America can do food right... And cars, I guess. Music too, considering we haven't changed the channel this whole time._

Peeking aside to her friend in the driver's seat, Maho's moving lips curled into a smile from the amused expression on Kurisu's face, leaning back against the convertible's door with the straw of a slushie drink in her mouth.

_You already finished yours... Ravenous redhead. Sipping on that limeade thing without a care in the world. Don't you touch my cookie dough shake there, or else._

Eyebrows furrowing above a full-cheeked smile, Maho's attempt at a serious expression sent Makise into a snicker instead, her teeth clamping onto the straw from poorly restrained laughter.

_"What's up?"_

"Maho's just... Making hilarious faces."

_"Oh. You two are something else."_

"We're besties!"

Swallowing, and offering a shrug, a toothy grin split her lips as Makise reached over and shoved her in a playful nudge.

"She agrees, but she's just being a stinker about it."

_Yep. Always am... With how things used to be._

_"Hah, wow."_

_"Together forever."_

"Mmm, nah. I don't swing that way, and I know Maho certainly doesn't... Not with her handsome man out in Tokyo."

Head flopping back against the seat behind, Maho rolled her eyes aside with a swallow.

"Why do you keep bringing him up?"

"Because you don't! You said you don't want him to slip away, so I'm reminding you, so you'll keep talking to him."

"Seriously?" ... _You actually understood me when I said that to him? How much Japanese DO you know?_

"Yes! Mister Rintarou is the closest you've gotten to a boyfriend, Maho. I'm not letting you give up on that."

Head lowering among tightening shoulders, a blush grew across her face as the remaining handful of hot dog settled onto her lap.

"I wasn't going to give up."

_"Ohhhh man, the love story's getting real."_

"Mister Rintarou, huh?"

"That's his name. Right, senpai?"

Turning away with an uncomfortably warm neck, Maho's lips parted with bashful reluctance.

"Yes."

_"What's his first name?"_

"...That is his first."

"Oh. Last name?"

"Okabe."

_"Oh ho."_

_"That's awesome."_

"Sounds like a handsome name for a handsome guy, Maho."

Eyelids closing from the commentary, a breath of exasperation left her small nose, reducing her voice to a mumble.

"...Maybe."

 

* * *

Wandering across the university's grounds beneath a partly obscured moon, faintly illuminating recently mowed grass and concrete paths, Maho gripped a lanyard of keys and the remainder of a dessert shake in her hands, mind in a fuzz from the blur of previous hours spent at a house party.

_Probably almost one in the morning, isn't it?_

Fumbling for the smartphone jostling around in her shorts pocket, only to give up the attempt and reach for a steadily approaching door, she yanked the passage open. Squinting at the dim hallway lighting within, continuing inside with a grunt, her feet grew remarkably heavy in short order as she began up a flight of stairs.

_What a weird night._

Rising and proceeding into a second-floor hallway, lifting the straw of a well-thawed cookie-dough flavored drink to her lips, her eyes scrutinized door numbers in passing, sucking the liquid sugar beverage until she came across her own dormitory.

_Fifty two. I'm back for you._

Sliding her key into the deadbolt and doorknob in sequential turns, she bodily shoved the passage open with her shoulder, bringing a swath of hallway light into the cave-like depths of her messy room. Stepping inside, and kicking something aside on the floor with her foot, she leaned back against the door, nudging it closed with her shoulders and fumbling for the latch of the deadbolt, rotating it with a forceful twist.

_Okay._

Pushing free from the door with an exhale, setting the shake onto her desk in passing, she dropped her keys onto a stubby bookcase in an automatic motion. Reaching up and tugging two separate hair ties from behind her head, her great mane of hair freely expanded behind her shoulders, and she stumbled over something else on the floor, towards the ajar door of a pitch-black bathroom.

***click***

Swiping her hand upward around the door frame, a blast of new light narrowed her eyelids in a squint, and her eyes were drawn to a nearby mirror, luring her closer in a hazy, late night inspection of her appearance.

_Huh._

Plucking a toothbrush from the counter, and adding a dollop of toothpaste and a splash of water from the faucet, she began brushing her teeth, repeatedly pushing a tuft of hair in repeat motions with her wrist.

_Should've kept that ponytail for five more minutes..._

Looking over her shoulder in continued brushing, discerning a shoe that previously tripped her up in the bathroom's light, Maho rolled her eyes, looking back to the sink and spitting.

_Gonna clean this hole up tomorrow. Right now its a safety and sanity hazard._

Rinsing remaining paste from her lips and brush, and dropping the object into a slotted holder, she spun around, swiping the light switch back down. With a curved heading back through her dormitory, stumbling over another unseen object with a grumble, she flopped forward onto her bed, clawing further onto it, and rolling over.

_Grrr. That's it._

Pulling her smartphone free from her shorts, and then her shorts free from her legs, she tossed the article of clothing somewhere aside, and with a flurry of taps on the screen, brought up the device's calendar.

_Tomorrow... 'Clean room, OR ELSE.'  
_

Setting the reminder and dropping the phone aside, she reached forward and began pulling a tangled mess of sheets with a grimace and a grunt, flopping back onto the bed in a further tug over her legs. Brow furrowing from the presence of something fuzzy and squishy against her bare leg, her arm dug underneath, only to rediscover the soft fur and large glass eyes of a black and white cat plushie.

"Oh, Tucker."

Collecting the feline friend in her grasp, and bringing it in a hug against her bosom, her chin sank into the stuffed animal, prompting an exhale and a quicker beating heart.

_There you are, my cute little kitty._

Rolling over, with the feline plushie captive in a bodily embrace, her cheek pressed into the comforting cool surface of her pillow, eyelids closing among a sigh of comfort.

_Lets dream about a handsome man out in Tokyo... Okay?_

* * *

**Saturday, April 21st, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, California, USA; 10:53a.m.**

Strolling through the second floor of student dormitories, passing a series of decorated doors and several conspicuous odors emanating from their occupants, Makise Kurisu continued down the hall, finally alighting upon one particular door with a large number **52** emblazoned on it. Head tilting from the muffled notes and voices of music inside, discerning a familiar eighties song, her hand rose with a curl of fingers, knocking lightly on the door and waiting patiently as the door remained shut.

"Maho?"

Knocking on the door harder, and hearing the thump of something being tossed aside within, the music suddenly paused, and with a twist of the doorknob, the entrance retracted back in a hinged opening, and a messy-haired Maho peeked around the side, prompting an unexpected giggle from her friend's disheveled appearance.

"Oh. Hey Kurisu."

"Morning, I guess."

"Yeah. I woke up, what, an hour ago? Something."

Craning her neck aside, glimpsing an unusually clean interior and the foot of what appeared to be a made bed, Kurisu's eyes flitted towards Maho's face with a growing smile.

"Cleaning, huh?"

"Yeah. So I don't face-plant in the middle of the night."

"Or in the daytime. Probably for the best." _Especially since your floor space seems to never be completely clean._

"So, what's up?"

"Do you want to do lunch somewhere?"

"Oh, um, sure."

"I texted you earlier."

"You did? I haven't touched my phone since I was in bed."

"On silent mode?"

"Vibrate, probably. Wouldn't have heard it over my music."

"Well, my offer still stands."

"And I'll take it cause I'm hungry. Been running on fumes and anger."

"No breakfast?"

"My tummy's pissed about it."

Brushing a lock of red hair aside with amusement, Kurisu crossed her arms.

"That's what happens when you sleep in."

"Yeah, I know. Let me finish cleaning things up and I'll get ready. I'll text you, okay?"

"Alright. Think about where you want to go while you do."

"Okay."

Standing with continued interest as the door closed again, a resumption of upbeat music began from behind, followed by the opening and slamming shut of an unseen drawer. Mouth curling in a smile as she revolved in a turn, Kurisu then began back along the hallway, twirling her name tag lanyard in her hand, and gripping the key to her pink Cadillac in a quick catch of the shaped brass.

_You're due in for a report after last night, senpai. Especially if you woke up with the determination to clean your room..._

Descending the building's main stairwell with a shuffle of a summer skirt and a short-sleeved shirt, her smile grew into a grin as she approached the entrance.

_Maybe just the thought of a boy makes her do that... I'll have to remember this. She tries to condition me with overseas food, so I'll Pavlov her with her overseas boyfriend._

* * *

**April 21st, 2012; Los Angeles, California, USA; 2:06p.m.**

Seated on an open patio of a humble Italian restaurant, with striped umbrellas providing shade from the coastal sun, both Maho and Makise sat across from each other, with plates of half-finished pasta surrounded by drinks and the remains of a pile of garlic bread. Eying the relaxed state of a well-rested Maho, her hair bound back in a much looser ponytail and tied by a string, Makise's eyes lowered along a black graphic-printed T-shirt draped on her sleeves, with a pair of sunglasses hanging from the collar.

"You're looking nice today."

"Hmmf? Oh. Thank you. So are you."

Turning her head aside with a lazy toss of her long red hair, she smiled as a chuckle wandered from Maho's otherwise busy mouth.

" _Wow_."

"Sorry, can't help it."

"Clearly, princess."

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you, senpai. How are you feeling?"

"Umm... Better now that I've been stuffing my face."

"...As far as the night before."

Blinking, and lowering a slice of bread in her grasp, Maho's brow furrowed.

"As far as, what, the party?"

"Yes."

"Is there something I should know about?"

"Well, nothing of concern. I just mean with you trying smoking."

"Oh, the pot. Yeah. No comment."

"Don't you play the ambiguity card with me."

"I'm not. It just happened and then we ate somewhere, I fell asleep, and now we're here.

"Hmmm..." _Limited recall of experiences that occurred during the duration_... "Interesting."

"What?"

"Well, from what I've observed, per my neuroscientific evaluations, the psychoactive addition of tetrahydrocannabinol made you a lot more silly and social than usual. For a good while, too."

Slowly blinking from the mouthful of words meeting her ears, Maho's expression flattened from Makise's curious violet eyes.

"What you observed, huh?"

"It seems you didn't wake up with a hangover either. Quite the opposite, actually."

"Yeah, well, even with that being better, I'm not sure about trying it again."

"No? Why not?"

"I can't even remember what happened last night, and the thought of that bothers me."

Seeing Kurisu restrain a giggle, Maho's brow furrowed.

"...And the fact you're laughing is already a bad sign."

"You can't remember anything?"

"Not hardly at all."

A grin spread across Kurisu's face as she speared another leaf of salad.

"That's a shame."

"Why?"

"Well, as it happens, Maho, you chatted up a storm with your overseas boyfriend while we were at the Maldonado's place."

Blinking from the odd statement, her chin rose from a brow-furrowed discernment of the words leaving Makise's mouth.

"I... Wait, _what?_ "

"You called Okabe Rintarou for a little while last night. Was pretty cute, actually."

Eyes flying open, Maho stared at Makise, who continued giggling from her expression.

"WHAT?!"

"Check your phone if you have to."

Instantly retrieving the device from the handbag hanging from the corner of her chair, Maho's heart began racing as her thumb swiped and tapped the screen with haste.

_Oh god. Did I seriously...? What did I say to him?_

Tearing through her phone's messages and call history, finding nothing new in either, she then went to her contact list on Skype.

_Huh. No texts, but... Yep, that's a recent call... Last night. What the heck did we talk about?_

Neck burning from an informational void, and a clear record of nearly fifteen minutes of conversation, Maho looked aside with a sigh.

_Damn. What is he thinking about me now that this has happened? Who knows what kind of brilliant things could have come out of my mouth..._

"Honestly Maho, you being stoned was so amusing that I ended up taking notes."

"...Why?"

"To document the experience for posterity."

Blinking as a notepad was tossed across the table, nearly landing on the edge of her plate, her eyes flitted back and forth between the small reams of paper, and Makise's growing smile.

_God. You did actually take notes you weirdo._

Browsing through the scribbles of notation and several emoticons and sketches of text and meme faces, Maho's thumb hesitantly lifted the sheet, revealing a second page of notes.

_Well... Huh. For being at reduced sobriety and functionality, I guess I did alright. Fluent Japanese? And he was doing laundry... Hmm.  
_

"In case you were wondering, Maho... Nothing bad happened."

"No?"

"Nope. You were smiling and blushing a lot. I've noticed anything regarding mister Rintarou seems to make you do that. Just like that, right now."

Cheeks warming from Kurisu's pointing of her fork, Maho's nose flared with a flustered breath.

"B-Because he's cute and funny and wonderful!"

"And you kissed him."

"Yes I did."

"So, since you obviously feel this way, why don't you start talking to him again? You already told him you wanted to."

"I... Did?"

"Yes. You did and you should."

"I-I mean, yeah, I should and I want to."

"Then do it, senpai!"

"Alright, alright! I'll start right now." _Especially considering I need to salvage anything weird from last night... I have no clue what happened. Thankfully Okabe's the honest type, so... We'll just see._

Lifting her phone into readable view once more, browsing through recent messages and tapping on one particular contact, a sigh filtered from her lungs.

"Give me a moment."

"You're fine."

Thumbs coming together on the virtual keypad, her eyes narrowed into a squint of thought.

_'Dear Mister Rintarou, Japanese man of mystery;_

_How are you today? Hopefully you are just as well as you may have been yesterday. In regards to whatever communication we had the night before, I want to be completely honest and admit that I was not sober while it occurred, and I apologize for any awkwardness or misconceptions that may have been spoken. HOWEVER, as I am sober now, I want you to know that regardless of my personal sobriety, I feel we have been slowly losing touch over the past month or so, and I regret not being better about talking to you. I want to keep talking to you, because I miss talking to you, with your humor and sweet goofiness. Our overseas distance means nothing to our friendship in my eyes, and I wish to maintain it into the future._

_Best, from your compatriot in Cali,_

_~ Maho'_

Rereading the composed message, her vision repeatedly returned to the last sentence.

_Friendship. Is that even what this is? Maybe while we're far away, it is._

Sending the message with a tap of her thumb, she shook her head slightly.

"Say something good?"

"Just that I wasn't sober but I still want to talk."

"Hmmm."

"Don't get grumpy if we end up texting a lot."

"I won't."

Setting her phone aside on the table, Maho's slender fingers resumed usage of her fork, delivering another scoop of pasta to her mouth.

_Hope not. You'd be nose deep in your phone if some g-_

***Bzzzzzzzzzzt***

Hearing an obvious vibration on the metal table, both girls looked at Maho's phone with rising eyebrows.

"Is that him?"

Swallowing and hastily fumbling for the device with a clatter of the utensil, she plucked her phone from the table.

"Uhh... Yes it is!"

"...And?"

Opening the new reply, she sat back in her chair in preparation.

_'Funny thing is, Maho, I've been thinking about you since I woke up this morning.'_

Staring at the middle of the sentence, her lips parted slightly.

"What's he saying?"

"That he's... Been thinking about me."

"Oooh, I bet he's been daydreaming about you."

Squinting in an attempt to regain a prior response, her fingers typed one word instead.

_'Morning?'_

_'Yes. 6am here in Tokyo.'_

_'Oh gosh, you're up early.'_

_'Had a little trouble staying asleep.'_

_'Is that my fault?'_

_'Slightly.'_

Exhaling with an uncertain laugh from his one-worded response, Maho's heart raced as the phone vibrated in her hand again.

_'Also, miss Hiyajo, it became clear fairly quickly that you weren't sober yesterday.'_

_'I'm so sorry. x_x'_

_'Don't be. Frankly I found it amusing. Also, to this very day I still consider you to be absolutely amazing. I'll gladly talk to you as much as you wish, today and any time in the future.'_

_'Yay! ^_^ You're a lifesaver. Thank yoouuu!'_

_'Nothing you said was incriminating or awkward anyway.'_

_'No? The lame part is that I can't even remember what I said.'_

_'Just honest feelings, and a bunch of little rambles. Took me on a thought adventure for a while afterward.'_

Smiling with a murmur in her throat, Maho fondly eyed the responses on the device.

_There's that sweet honesty. This boy..._

_'I guess I was on a bit of a real adventure. I'd tell you about it if I remembered anything about it.'_

_'Well, I'm game for any other stories you have in the coming months.'_

_'Hehe, fine with me. ^_^ As long as you have stories to tell too.'_

_'I certainly will.'_

_'Question!'_

_'Yes?'_

_'Isn't it Sunday there in Tokyo?'_

_'It is. Saturday in the states, I assume?'_

_'Yep.'_

_'Hmm. You still have the whole weekend ahead of you.'_

_'Says the guy already doing his laundry on Saturday. ^_^'_

_'Truth be told, early chore-accomplishing allows for a relaxing Sunday.'_

_'Yeah, true. Actually cleaned my own space this morning.'_

_'Your phrasing implies that's an abnormal activity...'_

_'Oh hush. *^_^* It happens!'_

_'I've no idea what your premises normally look like so I can't possibly judge anyway.'_

_'Probably best sometimes, haha.'_

_'Although you seem to hint at disaster and disarray.'_

_'Maybe.'_

_'Not so neat and orderly, hm?'_

_'Depends...'_

_'How's your desktop?'_

_'My actual desk?'_

_'Your laptop's main screen.'_

_'Tidy. ^_^'_

_'Yep. Virtual space is organized, real is not.'_

_'How's your desktop, Okabe?'_

_'Would be messier if Daru didn't sort everything in folders.'_

_'I see. So the opposite is also true.'_

_'Afraid so.'_

_'Anyway, um, just wanted you to know what was going on with yesterday. I'm better and sober now.'_

_'Good. Would you by chance be up for a phone call later?'_

_'Heck yes! ^_^'_

_'Give me two hours. To wake up and take care of a thing.'_

_'I'm out and about with the real Amadeus anyway, but I should be free by that time.'_

_'Sounds good.'_

_'Take care now, Okabe-san.'_

_'Talk to you soon, Maho.'_

Eyes rising as her phone lowered to the table, a grin curling onto her cheek, Maho's eyes met Makise's in a trade of excited expressions.

"So...?"

"All's good. He understood what happened like he always does, and is gonna call me around four or so."

"There we go."

"I can't wait to talk to him. _Sober._ "

"I bet. High Maho had fun talking, so I'm sure a sober senpai will have a great time too."

"Still wish I knew exactly what I said to him last night."

"Don't worry yourself over it. Your darling Okabe probably remembers, so if anything, he could tell you."

Eyelids closing from Makise's teasing words, only to open as she looked down, she grasped her fork and speared a new round of cooler pasta, swirling it in a puddle of sauce.

"Guess I'll find out."


	14. 1110

**Tuesday, April 24th, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, California, USA; 12:20p.m.**

Staring at dozens of lines of code on a wide-screen monitor, patience and focus both dwindling rapidly, Maho rubbed her temple with her fingers, flicking away a tuft of hair and scratching the resulting itch.

_Clearly I'm missing a piece somewhere... And this is a giant mass of inter-weaved stuff, so I'm going to go insane tracking down whatever faulty line is causing that bug. Could be one single piss ant of a letter or symbol for all I know._

Looking aside with a furrowed brow towards a travel mug, her arm extended, fingers curling around the container, but with a lift aloft, the reminder of its vacant insides brought a scowl and a grunt of displeasure from her throat.

_Empty. Of course._

Placing the tall cup back onto the table's surface, she sat back, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles. Flopping her head against the cushion behind, looking at the ceiling in a stretch, she then felt for her phone in her lab coat, withdrawing it from the depths of the white linen.

_Anything from... Nope. No new messages. Dammit._

Browsing through her phone's inbox and her email client, she finally wandered to the photo gallery with several taps.

_I need a pick-me-up or something. My brain is melting._

Finding and staring at a picture of a handsomely dressed Okabe, her expression softened from the sight among a tingle of a quicker heartbeat.

_Help me out, Okabe-san. Even a reply would help... No, wait, you're still asleep at this time. Well, whenever you wake up, I need you and your creative mind. Actually, I just need you. And your hugs and kisses._

Releasing a great breath, with an unintended whimper of emotion escaping with it, her shoulders slumped, arms settling heavily onto the sides of the chair.

"Senpai..."

"Hmm?"

"That's the twelfth time I've heard you sigh like that in the past three days."

"Um, okay." ... _You're keeping count?_

"I can tell its because of your long-distance boyfriend."

Brow furrowing from the latter end of Makise's statement, Maho's chin rose.

"He's not even my boyfriend yet."

" _Yet_ , huh?"

Clamping her mouth shut with a blush from the spoken word, Maho looked away.

"A-Anyway, I'm just -."

"You just need to see him, or something."

"Sure do."

"Then go see him, Maho."

Sitting upright in her chair, both young women turned towards each other in their office chairs.

"Wait, like, _actually_ see him?"

"Yes!"

Blinking from Makise's unwavering, pointed look, Maho's mouth opened.

"Are you being serious?"

" _YES!_ Do I need to spell it out? You've been sighing and daydreaming, and you've been texting and talking to him every day. Go see the boy for god's sake!"

Shrinking back in her chair from Makise's rise in vocal volume, Maho then blinked as Kurisu burst into a giggle.

"...You're driving me nuts with your heartache, and not because its annoying. I can't stand when people are in love and they're far apart."

"B-But, we're..."

"You're what, just friends? Maybe while you're five thousand miles apart. Come on Maho... I know your little heart has been screaming to see that boy in Japan again."

Eyes sinking, her fingers curled around the chair's arm, and the phone in her grasp.

 _I have. God I have._ "Its just... I dunno."

"You don't know what, if you're able to go back? Have you forgotten where you're at?"

"The university. What's that supposed to imply?"

"Yes, and you're a researcher here, not a student. Nobody's telling you that you have to be here every single day of the year."

Blinking from a building realization, Maho gripped her seat tighter as a wave of temperature fluctuation coursed through her body.

"...And besides, you're living on scholarships and funding. I know you have the financial freedom to travel, so what's even stopping you from going there?"

"To Japan?"

"Yes! Tokyo. Akihabara. The magical place where the handsome boy you dated and kissed resides. Don't you get my point?"

"I do."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure!"

"Then what are you gonna do, senpai?"

Smiling giddily from the blooming idea, Maho began turning her chair back and forth with her leg.

"I'm gonna go see him!"

"See who?"

"Okabe Rintarou, my Japanese man of mystery!"

"Atta girl. Go get that boy!"

Grinning from Kurisu's pointed finger, directed towards the distant California coastline beyond the school's windows, Maho exhaled with anticipation.

_Yes! I need a pick-me-up, and its not going to be Earl Grey... Its gonna be a escape to the Far East!_

"Okay, I guess I need to figure out a flight... And I should probably tell him I'm thinking about visiting Japan."

"Not thinking, you're planning on it."

"Yeah. Planning."

"Don't get cold feet either, Maho. In fact... Why don't we both go?"

Dropping her phone into her lap with surprise, Maho turned fully towards Kurisu, who slowly began grinning.

"Seriously?"

"Mmhm. I've been to Japan before. Just not the Akihabara part of Tokyo."

"Oh, right, your dad."

"Yep."

"So, what, should we take the same flight then?"

"Duh! Otherwise it wouldn't be fun!"

"Yeah, good point."

"Start looking, senpai. I think its time we both go for an overseas vacation."

"Okay. _Okay!_ "

Whirling around in her seat, saving and closing the programming windows on the screen, she brought up an internet browser.

_Flights to Tokyo, Japan... Haneda airport. Oh my god._

Eyes growing misty among a rapidly beating heart, Maho's face grew flush with emotion.

_Holy hell, with you coming along too, we're gonna have an adventure... Let's do this, you crazy redhead friend of mine._

"Next week sound alright?"

"That soon? I-I mean, sure."

"Any later and you're going to fall apart, Maho."

"Yeah right. I've lasted three months."

"Barely."

Swallowing, and then nodding in unfortunate agreement, Maho's eyes sank to the keyboard beneath her fingers.

_Yeah. Just barely._

* * *

Standing in a lean against a hallway wall, Maho waited patiently as her phone displayed a short correspondence of messages.

'Call me when you can.'

'Going on lunch, give me five minutes.'

_...And that was seven minutes ago, Okabe._

Inhaling as the screen changed, and the device began vibrating from an inbound call, a picture ID of him in a bright red shirt appeared above his contact name, and she quickly tapped to answer.

 _There you are_... "Hey."

"Afternoon, or, evening rather."

"Four-thirty, so both."

"Right, yes. What's up?"

"Uh, well..."

"Something amiss?"

"No no, I'm... I don't know how else to put this."

"...Yes?"

"I'm gonna by flying out to Tokyo, probably this weekend."

Hearts beating among the following silence, Maho's lips pressed together.

" _Really?_ "

"Yes."

"That's wonderful! I-I mean, I guess... I'll certainly be looking forward to your arrival."

"Definitely. Um, you're still there in the lab in Akiba, right?"

"I told you my soul is tied to those floorboards."

"Oh yeah, haha. That's right."

"What brings you out to Japan this time?"

Lips parting, chest throbbing, Maho's lungs released an exhale.

"You, actually."

"Oh."

"Is that alright?"

"Well... Yes, but, I guess I don't know what to say."

"Maybe you will when I finally show up."

"P-Perhaps."

"Anyway, I wanted to let you know. We'll be leaving sometime on your Sunday."

"And arriving on Monday?"

"Yeah. I know you'll be at class until five or so."

"I could leave earlier."

"Only if you want to."

"I'm certain I'll want to, with you arriving."

Cheeks warming in a blush, her chin lifted in a gaze upward.

_Oh, you..._

"Don't get yourself in trouble now."

"Hardly an issue."

"If you insist, Okabe-san."

"I do. I anticipate your arrival, and your access to the lab will be immediately renewed."

"Yay! Um, also, probably should mention, Makise Kurisu is coming along."

"...You mean the real Amadeus?"

"Yeah. The real red-head that provided the memory sample you guys all talked to."

"Good heavens. Two brainy women in one place... We'll be ready. Hopefully."

Laughing lightly from his humor, she peeked aside.

"Alright, well... I'll let you know when we're at the airport. And after that... I guess I'll see you soon, Okabe."

"Indeed. I'm already awaiting your arrival, Maho."

Grinning with a spike of anticipation, her eyelids fluttered shut.

"Alright... Bye for now."

"Goodbye, Hiyajo-san."

***click***

Eyelids rising as her phone lowered from its place beneath her hair, her arms crossed in a tightening of her shoulders.

_Oh my god now he knows, and he's looking forward to it... Hooooly crap this is exciting!_

Pocketing her phone, and then skipping back down the hallway, she burst through the doors of the brain-science department once more, and Kurisu peeked around the corner of a towering set of shelves with a smile from her return.

"What did he say?"

"He's excited and awaiting our arrival."

"You let him know I'm coming along too?"

"Yep. He has no idea what he's in for."

"Considering he's interacted with my memory scan... I think he does."

"Huh. Good point. Anyway I think its a done deal once we book the flight."

"I'm thinking a week might be good. You were there for most of the month of January, but that's going to add up in living expenses real fast without the university's backing."

"Yeah. A week should be fine." _And besides affordability... I just need to see that boy again. Even for a little while. Then I can confirm my feelings on where I really want to be..._

"Alright. From Saturday the twenty-eighth to... Saturday the fifth."

"Of May?"

"Yep."

"Okay. I don't think I have anything going on in early May so... Book it."

"Still figuring out which airline to use, senpai."

"Grrr. Alright."

"You'd might as well start packing that gigantic suitcase of yours."

"And you're gonna tell the professor we're both going. _Right?_ "

Looking pointedly at Makise and offering her a thumbs up, Maho grinned as Makise rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

* * *

**Wednesday, April 25th, 2012; Tokyo Denki University; 9:14a.m.**

Sitting with his chin on intersected fingers, held above the computer table, Okabe stared at the flat screen monitor in front of himself in a distracted glaze.

_Maho. Is it true? Going to the trouble and expense of coming here... Simply to see me?_

Blinking, and finally noticing a small flashing icon on the bottom of the screen, his hands slipped apart, with one drawing to the nearby mouse seated on a thin foam pad.

_Do I still mean that much to you? Three months of indirect communication, and... I guess I do, don't I? You're not coming here for the school, or to demonstrate your AI. You're here to seek me out. That impossible dream we said in parting. Was it a dream? Or just a measure to hold us over for... However long we wouldn't see each other. And now you're determined to see me again anyway. In less than a week._

Finally clicking on the impatiently flashing icon, bringing up a window for RINE, he blinked, still not entirely focused on the screen.

_Good heavens. Maybe I do mean that much to you. You certainly means a great amount to me, and I... I guess I haven't thought about it in a while. Been almost a month until you called the other day. Now you've been blowing up my phone, and I'm..._

Squinting towards the screen in a renewal of focus as another message appeared on the window for RINE, the remainder of his thought slipped away.

'You okay dude?'

'You're staring off way into deep space'

'Haven't seen you do that in a while'

'Bro!'

Hands dropping to the keyboard, an exhale of impatience left his nose.

_Good lord, Hashida, alright._

'Just thinking, comrade.'

'About what, your American babe?'

'Yes, because as it happens, she's flying here to Japan this weekend.'

'For real?'

'Yes.'

Vision turning to a yellow ball cap in the distance, both Okabe and Daru's eyes met in a fleeting glance across the classroom, with Hashida unexpectedly smiling, spreading one across Okabe's lips as well.

'That's awesome dude. Another visit by loli-tan will be good for everyone.'

'That's the thought.'

'Especially you. You've been kinda bummed for a while now.'

'Sorry if its been obvious.'

'No big deal. Was easy to tell you like her.'

'Still do.'

'Did she say if she's bringing her AI? Amadeus?'

Head tilting, attempting to picture the real life being represented by the red-haired persona, Okabe hummed with humored interest.

_As it happens, Hashida, we might actually end up meeting the real woman._

'Sort of.'

* * *

**Thursday, April 26th, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, California, USA; 12:20p.m.**

Stuffing rolled bundles of clothing into the depths of her enormous hard-sided suitcase, having previously emptied her dresser of light summer clothing, Maho continued a process of packing small sets of clothing and items staged around the luggage.

_Gonna be a lot warmer in Japan this time around, and that alone will be amazing. Short sleeves for days! Plus I can dress up and not freeze my butt off... Dang. I wonder what he'll be dressing in. I doubt he's still going to be in a suit coat and pants. That means I get to see a summer Okabe for summer lov... I mean... Adventuring. Or whatever happens._

Placing several more sets of clothing and a pair of dress sandals within, only to reposition several bundles and move the footwear, a lingering hint of recent laundry detergent wandered into her nose.

_Whatever happens... Won't be like last time, huddled in that lab. Not too much, at least. I'd like to be out and about, now that we'll have a guaranteed tour guide and hopefully good weather._

Smiling from several imaginings of being led along by a tall, handsome local citizen, Maho leaned back, propping herself up with her arms.

_God I can't wait. Just being around him again is going to be amazing. Plus I'll only have to deal with one meddlesome red-head teasing me, and... Huh._

Glancing aside to the slim profile of her external hard drive, standing unplugged on the desk, her eyes wandered from the device, over to the resident scale model of the warship Prinz Eugan.

_All things considered... Even with Makise along for the ride... I'm going out there to confirm my feelings on things. It'll be a week of pleasure, yeah, but there's some important things I ought to be thinking about while I'm there. Especially with how messed up and conflicted I got right as I was leaving last time._

Squinting at the storage device again, she pushed herself upright from her arms, resuming packing with a turn back to her luggage.

_Yeah. You're not coming along this time, Amadeus. I've got business with my heart that doesn't involve you. At least, until I figure out which side of this planet I want to live on..._

Picturing a variety of vignettes in the Future Data Lab, with the members interacting with the culmination of her work and research, a smile crept onto her face.

_...And even without my AI coming along, I'm sure we'll make use of that monstrous computer of yours, Okabe. Don't you worry._

* * *

**Friday, April 27th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:05p.m.**

Stepping across the smooth, well-aged wooden flooring with a padding of bare feet, still dressed in her black and white school uniform, Mayuri turned around the lab's resident coffee table in a heading for a stubby fridge stuffed in the corner of the room. Walking past Okabe, seated on the adjacent green couch with a thick binder in his lap, her eyes swept across his position in a quick evaluation, spotting the shiny plastic barrel of the NERF cannon against the arm of the couch. Reaching outward and pulling the fridge open, met with a welcoming expanse of cool air from its depths, she reached in and plucked a can of green tea from the stash of soda and beverages lining every last bit of space on the shelves.

"You know, its been a while since Mayushii's seen Okarin smiling like this."

Closing the fridge with a nudge of her arm, Mayuri strolled back over beside the coffee table, slowing to a halt and crossing her arms with a determined smile. Waiting patiently as Okabe's eyes slowly lifted from the phone in his hands, she touched her free hand against her temple, fully gathering his now-perplexed attention.

"Is that... Odd?"

"Nuh uh, its nice to see actually. A sad Okarin is no fun and always needs cheering up, which is why... Mayushii's powers of reduction will find the reason for his big blushy smile."

"I think you mean, uh, _d-deduction_."

"Unless she actually has a shrink ray, bro."

Smiling from Okabe's quiet correction and Daru's wayward comment, Mayuri simply nodded, eyelids closing for several quiet seconds.

"Mmmm... _Hm!_ "

Eyelids flying open with a cheeky grin, bearing down on Okabe's raised-eyebrow expression, her finger extended towards him.

"Maho-chan's visiting soon, isn't she?"

"Ah, yes, she is." . _..Am I that obvious with appearances?_

"Really?"

Nodding with continued befuddlement at her correct guess, Okabe blinked as Mayuri's hands clasped together with an illumination of excitement on her face.

"Oh my gosh, Maho's fun-sized adorable-ness is really visiting again?"

"She is indeed."

"Yaayyy!"

Remaining still as Mayuri whirled around in the open room with excitement, she then looked over towards Daru, who now had an arm over the backside of the computer couch.

"Did you tell Hashida-san, Okarin?"

"I already know, Mayushii. Supposedly she'll be bringing along that AI of hers too. Gonna be awesome!"

"Ohhoho, Amadeus-chan and Maho-chan back in the lab again... Mayushii can't wait!"

Finally breaking into a smile from the excitement of his fellow friends, Okabe exhaled happily as his phone vibrated in his grasp again.

_Well, Hiyajo-san, it looks like your return will be well received. Now to see how they'll react to a living, breathing version of Amadeus..._

* * *

**Saturday, April 28th, 2012; Tom Bradley International Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport, California, USA; 11:58p.m.**

Gazing tiredly through a row of large window panes, with hazy floodlights illuminating the stark, dark landscape of the airport's concrete taxiways outside, Maho's mind wandered through several thoughts long and short as she sat in continued waiting. Beneath the hoodie covering her bare folded legs and a fidgeting foot, the faded fabric of a trusty old backpack sat beside a small black and white tennis shoe, and the fuzzy head of a green-eyed cat plushie peeked out of the top between the otherwise closed zippers.

"Is this the same flight you took in January?"

Peeking aside to the ponytail of red hair resting on the shoulder of Makise Kurisu beside her, Maho's vision wandered up to the sunglasses perched atop her head.

"Might be. I don't remember."

"Direct from Los Angeles to Tokyo, right?"

"Yes."

"Remember the airline?"

"I'm sure it was A-N-A like now."

"Probably."

Peeking down at Maho's intersecting fingers in her lap, with her slender leg jostling further below, Kurisu smiled from the sight of a quietly excited friend.

"You ready to see your special someone again?"

"Duh. That's the whole reason we're, _um_ , I'm here."

"Mmhm. I want to meet him too."

"Yeah? He's all mine so don't go crushing on him when you find out why I keep saying he's handsome."

"I already know what he looks like, silly."

"Still. _Mine_."

Laughing lightly from Maho's pugnaciously defensive claiming, Kurisu brushed her statements aside with ease.

"There's probably loads of other boys in Tokyo anyway, so you can have your hazel-eyed nerd."

"Nice. Going hunting for a hot date in Tokyo, are we?"

"You never know, senpai. You of all people wound up with someone in two weeks. Who's to say I can't have that kind of fun too?"

"I get the feeling you're gearing up to party."

"Heck yes! What's an American girl like me to do while you're being lovey-dovey for a week?"

"Wow."

"We're on a vacation of our own whim, Maho. You'd better believe we're going to have fun while we're there."

"I fully intend to have fun, but there's other reasons I'm heading to Japan for."

"Oh yeah?"

"Things I started thinking about when I was there last time."

"Like a future with a cute guy you met."

"A-Amongst other things. I do want to go back to Okinawa, or at least be closer to home someday."

Watching with a calm smile as Maho's green eyes met her own, shrouded beneath her free and loose tufts of dark hair, Makise's chin rose slightly.

"Planning for the future, huh?"

"At least coming to terms with it. I'm not sure I want to stay here in California anymore."

Head tilting, her red ponytail sliding free of her shoulder, Kurisu eyed her friend with continued interest.

"I didn't know you felt that way."

"I haven't said anything about it to anyone."

"Did this start while you were there in Tokyo?"

Seeing Maho sink into her shoulders, a smile curled onto Makise's cheek.

"...It did, didn't it?"

"Yeah."

"So you met a guy you really like, and now you're thinking about moving back to Japan."

"It sounds silly, I get it, but I-."

"No, its not silly. You're following your heart. People have done that for millennia."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"Many of humanity's oldest stories exist because people followed their hearts."

"Y-Yeah, but, I'm not exactly taking part in some epic story."

"You never know, senpai. Lots of people might think you are."

"Psh. I'm just wanting to see a guy I have a huge crush on again."

"Yes you are, but who knows what will happen afterwards, right?"

"I don't."

"But you're going to find out, and that's why I'm glad you're doing this, Maho. You've been quiet and sad since you came back last time."

"Have I?"

"Yes you have. I could tell right away that something was affecting you, even without you saying so."

"Well... Things were affecting me." _Hence why I cried myself to sleep on the flight back... This heart of mine was hurting and confused._

Nudging the backpack with her foot, Maho's vision sank to the black and white cat plushie beside her legs, eying the parting gift fondly.

_Thank goodness for you, Tucker. Would have been an even bigger mess without you as a memento..._

"To be honest, that's also why I brought you to that party last week."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"You being unsober allowed you to get past your normal hesitations, and reach out to the person you keep sacred in your heart."

Cheeks reddening a little, Maho's legs straightened, youthfully kicking in front of herself with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Yeah... Now that its after the fact, I'm really glad I ended up talking to him again."

"So am I. Seeing and hearing you talk all sweet to a boy is precious."

"Ohhh shush. You're making me sound like a teenage girl."

"Because you're living out a teenage dream!"

"Kind of. Anyway... Even without knowing what I said the first time, everything we've said afterward has been really fun and meaningful."

"Just as cute romances should be."

Head turning away with a shy smile, her legs settled to rest around her backpack.

"We're not there quite yet, and I'll have to see what even happens when we meet again."

"Oh, don't go ruling out the possibilities already, Maho."

"I'm not! Obviously there's plenty, seeing as we've gotten to this point, of us being here now."

"At the airport?"

"Waiting for a flight to Tokyo."

"Sounds like a dream come true for you."

"It is, and nice rhyme."

"Every time."

Snorting from her remark and the snap of chewed gum, and looking towards a nearby window, a thin white shape crept into view beyond the dark glass, and Maho squinted at the sight.

_Must be our plane..._

Remaining focused on the widening horizontal shape, only for it to be obscured by the introduction of a streamlined white and blue nose and fuselage, numerous heads of people seated around them began turning in attention to the approaching aircraft.

_Yep, A-N-A. Must be minutes from boarding._

Chin rising from the crackle of a loudspeaker and a rise of voices, numerous passengers began rising from their seats and gathering belongings and children, and a crowded progression began towards the gate's entrance to the jet bridge.

"I think its time."

"Me too."

Pushing free from her seat and plopping onto her feet, Maho scooped her hoodie and backpack up onto both shoulders with a shuffle of cloth and fabric. Gathering a shoulder bag of her own from the floor, Makise reached forward and scratched the head of the cat plushie, wrinkling her nose with amusement from the fuzzy feline friend smiling back at her.

_Two cute cats, off on another adventure..._

Hand settling atop the hoodie on Maho's shoulder, gathering her shorter friend's attention, both scientists began towards the still-forming line at the gate, gathering printed tickets from places in their bags.

"You ready, Maho?"

"You already asked that earlier."

"But now we're about to start boarding. Can't turn back now."

"Why the hell would I want to?"

Grinning from Maho's furrowed brow, Makise flicked a tuft of Maho's hair aside from her shoulder with her fingers.

"Just checking."

"I get that you're the one that suggested this voyage, but I planned to do this eventually."

"But if you waited any longer, you could have risked losing touch with your distant love."

Rolling her eyes, Maho's arms crossed as they slowed to a temporary halt in line.

_I know. I had already gone almost a month without talking... And I hate that I actually let that happen._

Moving in a series of starts and stops towards the ticket check, growing ever closer to the hum of turbine engines and outside noise filtering in, Maho's heart began racing.

_...But that doesn't matter now, because I got high and my heart shoved my brain out of the way for once. I can't quite decide if it was good that it happened... But at least it did. Maybe it was a good thing. We started talking again anyway, and now I'm about to fly to Japan._

Arms and chest tingling, her hand rose up to the staff member, ticket in hand, and after a quick scan of a laser reader, Maho continued onward, looking over her shoulder in a turn. Pausing from the sight of a growing smile on Makise's face, she waited until the taller redhead closed the distance between them, and both young women continued onward through the accordion passage.

_Oh my god. We're actually going to Japan...!_

Slowing in another line as passengers filtered in through the side door of the airliner one by one, Maho skipped across the seam between the aircraft and the elevated passage, and Makise ducked her head slightly, peering inside to several hundred seats within, split by two aisles.

_Roomy. Very nice._

Following Maho as she wandered inside, eyes drifting along displayed seat numbers, the computer scientist suddenly swung into an outer row on the right hand side of the aircraft. Plopping into the seat closest to the window and sliding a shade up with her slender fingers, a view of the aircraft's wing and flight surfaces was revealed, and she sat back after swinging her backpack around and holding it on her lap.

_Cool._

Attention flitting aside as Makise sat beside her in the middle, both girls traded smiles and rising eyebrows.

"Did you tell him we're boarding?"

"Oh, shoot, I haven't actually."

"Better hurry before you have to turn your phone off."

"Yeah yeah, hold on."

Tugging her blue and white device from the pocket of her shorts, Maho's thumb swiped and tapped on the screen with anticipation-fueled speed.

_Alright, Okabe..._

'Just got seated on our plane after boarding. See you soon! *^_^*'

Stuffing the device back into her pocket, only to yank it back out from a following vibration, she twisted the screen into view, smiling from the response.

_Now for the fourteen hour flight to Haneda..._

Typing and sending another reply with haste, her head flopped back onto the bottom of the seat's headrest. Emptying her lungs in a lengthy exhale, her free hand rose, fingertips rubbing the top of her plushie cat's head.

_Hope you're ready, Tucker Tux. We're going back to the land you came from._

Eyelids lowering, her thumb drifted over the feline's ear, and along the side of its head.

_Who knows... Both of us might end up staying there one day. That'd be something._

* * *

**Sunday, April 29th, 2012; Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo; 4:17p.m.**

Placing a variety of boxed packages of food onto several rows of old metal shelving, moving in swift repeat motions learned from several years of assisting labor in his parent's grocery store, Okabe towed a small cart aside as he moved further into a non-refrigerated aisle.

_Let's see... You three, here, and you two..._

Thought hesitating as his phone vibrated in the pocket of his shorts, his expression remained the same while his heart beat steadily within his chest, behind a work apron.

_...You two, coming from America soon..._

Hustling through several more packages with precise placement, his now-free arm shot into his pocket, retrieving his black and red smartphone. Opening a new message from Maho, his posture straightened.

_Finally boarding, hm?_

Fingers coming together on the device, he quickly composed a reply.

'Excellent. Safe travels, Maho, and friend.'

Attempting to slip the device back into his pocket, it chirped again second later, and he lifted the illuminated screen back into view.

_'That's the plan. ^_^ I'll let you know when we arrive.'_

Vision rising towards the nearby windows to the afternoon sunlight outside, Okabe's face remained curled into a grin.

_Yes you will, and I await your arrival, Hiyajo-san... Though I'm sure you already know that._

* * *

**Sunday, April 29th, 2012; All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300ER, Flight NH-105; Los Angeles International Airport, California, USA; 00:23a.m.**

Attentions glued to the slow taxiing of their airliner, both Maho and Makise stared out of the cabin window beside them, with hundreds of small marker lights drifting past on the border of the concrete paths below.

_Past midnight... Not even really sleepy yet. Not with what we're about to embark upon._

Watching with interest as the flight surfaces on the rear edge of the wing wiggled up and down several times, the aircraft moved forward and began into another one of several great turns, slowing to a halt in line. With the passing of another airliner in a high-speed takeoff sequence, Maho's chin rested on the feline plush's head, kept in a crossed-arm embrace.

Leaning back in a slight pull of acceleration, the airliner cruised forward along the ground, and the interior of the aircraft remained silent and thick with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation in the conditioned air. Turning again with continued motion, offering a temporary view of the city lights surrounding the far edges of the airport, Maho's bare arms tingled with goosebumps from the cool air issuing from vents above. Then, with one final rotation onto the width of a main runway, the airliner drew to a halt, increasing the rapidity of her heartbeat.

_Any time now... Yep! There's the engines._

A blur of fiery hot air grew behind the unseen exhaust nozzle of an enormous turbine, accompanied by the mighty roar of full-throttle thrust, and a push of lateral G-force brought all occupants of the aircraft back into their seats as the plane began an ever-quickening sprint down ten-thousand feet of runway. With lights on the wingtips blinking and strobing as the landscape below faded into a blur, Maho's eyes remained wide as the aircraft tilted upward with a lift of ailerons, and the ground below suddenly vanished, prompting her to crane her head higher and lean closer to the window. With only a quick glimpse of the coastline coming and going in seconds, the vast, dark emptiness of the Pacific ocean spread out below them.

_Oh... That was fast. Sayonara, California._

Sitting back moments later, ears perking from the quiet whir of takeoff flaps retracting back into the wings, she then looked aside to Makise seated beside her, only to bring her legs closer and cover them with her hoodie, slapping the vent above her seat shut with an upward stretch of her arm.

_Not sure why they always keep it so cold in these things..._

Curling her arms around her legs, with Tucker seated against her bosom, she lazily watched as Makise unearthed her red laptop from the depths of her shoulder bag.

_Should probably get music going... We're going to be here for a while._

Peeking back towards the window, however, a smile curled onto her cheek as her eyes wandered along the faintly illuminated seams in the aircraft's wing panels.

_Thirteen more hours of sitting here, and then... A new Akiba adventure begins. One whole uninterrupted week with Okabe-san... God I can't wait!_


	15. 1111

 

 

**Monday, April 30th, 2012; Haneda (Tokyo International) Airport, Ota Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 6:43a.m.**

Several paces beyond the airport's customs check, with their respectively colored-and-sized suitcases in tow, both Maho and Makise wandered in an early morning heading towards the twin stations of the airport's railway and monorail lines. Stepping onto an empty escalator, and halting as they were given an effort-free ride to the upper story, Maho's hand settled to rest on the wide handrail beside herself.

_Thirteen hours on my butt, and now that its over, we just have... Wait..._

Brow furrowing from the vacancy of the area between the stations, further revealed as she stepped across the gap between the moving steps and the glossy tiled floor, she continued in a hesitant pace, only to draw to a halt between several sets of closed doors, with no lights illuminated over the platforms in either direction.

_Um._

Trading a glance at first, both young women began looking at their silent surroundings with moderate confusion.

"Where is everyone?"

"They're not running twenty-four hours a day?"

"Looks like it. I had no idea they didn't do that."

Wandering aside to a large informational poster, Makise looked back and forth at the Japanese characters and their English translations beneath.

"Guess the train crews need a bedtime too."

"So, what, when does service start?"

"Looks like... Seven-thirty."

"And its quarter till seven now... Awesome."

"Lets find a place to hang out."

"And eat."

"Hungry?"

"Starting to be."

"Okay. Let's get food in the meantime. I could handle an early breakfast."

Stowing her phone and grimacing at the temporary impasse in front of them, Maho turned aside as Makise's soft footfall drew alongside her again.

"Sounds good to me." _Since we're going nowhere at the moment..._

* * *

Seated side by side in a booth, within the quiet wood-paneled confines of a western-style morning bistro, both Maho and Makise worked on breakfasts of differing sizes and palates, accompanied by pleasantly hot cups of caffeinated beverages. Devouring a toasted bagel stuffed with egg, bacon, sliced pepper and red onion, Maho's cheeks remained full and pink with delight from the awaited munching session.

_This thing is messy and amazing... And they actually have hot tea here... What a miracle!_

Eying the wisp of steam wandering from a small vent in a disposable mug, her eyes flitted aside to Kurisu's hand as it set a cup of coffee onto the table, returning to the utensils of a plate of eggs, sausage and small pancakes.

_Heh. First morning in Japan, and we eat American... Typical._

Cleaning her slender fingers with several swipes of a napkin, and then taking in a cautious splash of hot tea, Maho gazed wearily into the restaurant's interior, feeling the lingering warmth of her tongue after a swallow.

_I'm sure that'll change by tomorrow morning. Or it won't, if we keep having breakfast at the hotel. Whatever. Maybe I'll just save the local yummies for lunch and dinner. I haven't even thought about that, honestly... Gonna be devouring loads of great food this week. Oh my god._

Turning aside with a toss of her mane, Maho waited patiently as an otherwise distracted Makise finally realized a dark-eyed Maho was peeping up at her.

"Hm...?"

"Just realized we're about to be eating like champions."

"Oooh, yes we are. You kept teasing me in January."

"Sure did."

"Tempting people over the internet with tasty food is an evil deed."

"Oh, I enjoyed the evil-ness."

"Meanie. Anyway, nothing's going to stop my taste buds now, so its alright."

"You're telling me, woman. Do you know how hard it is to find anything Okinawan back in Cali?"

"I don't know."

"For those without access to a car, the distance to traverse is rather unfortunate."

"Well where we're going, we don't need cars."

"Yeah, because there's trains in every direction and on every level."

"And there should be places to eat in every direction and level."

"God. I'm already eating but I'm so ready."

Wrinkling her nose with amusement from Maho's messy lips as she took another bite of her bagel, Makise shook her head slightly.

"You're lucky that your body is a little metabolic blast furnace, senpai."

"Oh I know. It processes everything I throw at it."

"Or lack thereof."

"Hey. Sleep overrides meals sometimes."

"It may, but that's not really a good thing."

"Didn't say it was, genius. I hate waking up hungry."

"Then don't skip meals!"

"Oh, okay. Let me set alarms for the servings I might miss. Then I'll be sure to sleep well."

Looking away, a giggle escaped Makise's throat among a shake of her head, joined by a laugh from her compatriot beside her.

_Speaking of sleep... Twenty more minutes, and we'll be on our way to some nice big hotel beds. Though I'd hate to waste our first day here sleeping... Hmmm. Guess we'll see what ends up happening._

* * *

**JR Keikyu Airport Line, Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo; 7:49a.m.**

Standing in a lean against a smooth steel pole mounted in the center of an E231 series railcar, Maho's eyes remained on her black and white tennis shoes below, planted firmly beside her bulky battle-scarred behemoth of a suitcase as their commuter train trundled along in a sleepy northbound heading.

_To think... Last time I took a ride in one of these, I was leaving, uncertain of when I'd actually return... And now I'm back again, repeating this journey back and forth. We'll see how things are in a week's time. Maybe I won't be holding back tears for hours. Maybe I'll just figure out everything while I'm here for the week._

Nudging her suitcase with a tap of her shoe, she gripped the pole tighter as the train jostled in a rattle, crossing a set of points in the track.

_That's why I'm really here. To see an amazing guy, and see where this heart of mine belongs._

Eyes rising in an upward wander, alighting upon the slowly brightening sky surrounding the shimmering Japanese sun, her gaze remained far beyond the train's windows, drifting along the surrounding city skyline.

_Damn. I'm actually here, aren't I? Racing the rising sun on a train, with a brand new week ahead of us. This feels like some kind of dream._

Peeking aside to Kurisu, a growing smile on her gentle expression, a flash of light reflected off of her sunglasses seated up among her red hair.

_...And you. You're here too, Kurisu. Ushering me into a needed escape from our normal drudgery at the university. I didn't even know you were interested in visiting Japan until last week._

Imagining a fuzzy virtual image of Amadeus standing beside her, hanging onto the same set of straps hanging from the roof with the same friendly smile on its face, Maho exhaled with amusement.

_For all the grief you and your virtual twin gave me last time... I am glad you're here. I feel like your desire for adventure will make this week something to remember... Aside from other things._

Flitting away with a turn, looking towards the front of the sparsely-occupied railcar, Maho leaned away from the pole with a slackening of her arm.

_I have no idea how things are going to progress... But right now I'm just glad we're even here. Far away from normal life stuff for a little while._

Smiling from a swirl of imagery, of an old brick apartment tucked in among a quiet alley, her eyelids lowered in a flutter of memory.

_On our way to a secret realm of mayhem and mischief... To meet up with a few nerds of a feather._

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:39a.m.**

Dragging suitcases along the patterned carpet of an upper story hotel hallway, mere minutes past the lobby's check-in and a subsequent elevator ride, both Maho and Makise kept their attentions on passing door numbers, keycards in hand as an already-long morning of travel wore on.

"What number was yours?"

"One-sixty-three... Which is right here, yay."

Blinking with perplexion as Kurisu halted and slipped her card inside the lock of a door, only to push the door open with a downward shove on the handle, Maho looked around in a whirl, spotting her room number on the opposite side of the hallway.

"Found mine, uh..."

Hesitating from the sudden absence of Makise, Maho shoved her keycard into a slot on her room's door, watching as a small light turned green, disengaging a lock with a muffled ***click***.

_...One-sixty-six._

Nudging the door open with her shoulder, revealing the clean interior of a cozy hotel room, her vision alighted upon the plush linens of a bed, illuminated by a thin line of sunlight between drawn curtains.

_Oh god yes. A bed!_

Dragging her suitcase inside, bouncing it off of both the room's door and an adjacent chair, Maho deposited the luggage beside the legs of a desk, shrugging her backpack free from her shoulders. Then, kicking off her shoes without a further care in the world, she began in a direct heading towards the bed, flopping face first onto the sheets, and dragging herself up along the cloth, exhaling into the white linen with a long, tired breath.

_Finally._

"Maho?"

Grimacing with already-closed eyelids, her face rolled aside.

"...Whhaaatttt?"

"How is it?"

"Its fine."

"...Are you not letting me in?"

"I'm sleeping."

" _Already?_ We just got here. Aren't you going to get settled in first?"

"I'll unpack once I wake up."

"...Okay. Have fun napping."

"Nnnggghhh."

Shaking her head from the faint groan emitting from her friend within the room, Kurisu turned from the closed door and walked back towards her own room, sliding her card into the door's lock slot.

_Alright, senpai... The more you sleep, the less time you'll have to see your boyfriend._

Pulling the thin object back out, and shoving down onto the smooth steel handle, she nudged her way into her room, drifting over towards her own luggage. Setting the card and her sunglasses aside, she then knelt down, tugging zippers around two corners and prying open her suitcase.

_Okay. Looks like everything survived. Let's see... Bathroom first. Yep. So you, both of you... And you._

Gathering several small bottles and a bag of toiletries into her arms, she began towards the nearby restroom, nudging a wall switch upward with her elbow.

_Ooh. Should shower, actually. That was a long flight._

Releasing everything from her arms with a quartet of thuds onto the sink counter, she then inspected herself in the mirror in a moment of distraction.

_Hmmm. Gonna freshen up first, and then we'll get set up._

* * *

Sitting on a padded bench in the hotel's lobby, legs crossed and an arm resting on the back of the seat, Kurisu sipped on a creamer-laden cup of coffee, quietly observing the coming and going of guests of western and eastern ethnicity.

_Seems I'm not the only American here... Based on the conversations I've been hearing._

Tapping on the smartphone in her lap, squinting at the brief display of the current time, she drank another gulp of the energy-bearing caffeine.

_Got an hour until noon... And Maho is still asleep, I'm sure. She looked tired. Fairly certain she hasn't even unpacked anything._

Smiling from the thought of her friend buried in a mass of bed sheets, she looked over her shoulder towards a small cafe she had visited only minutes before.

_Should get her some tea for whenever she crawls out of her new cave. Come to think of it... I should go get one of my books too. What's the weather like outside? Looks like tons of sun from those windows._

Pocketing her phone and rising to her feet with an upward push of her free arm, Makise brushed a length of red hair back over her shoulder.

_Per my calculations of prior experience... Senpai will probably awaken in two-to-three hours... Thereby giving myself ample time to acclimate to the Tokyo environment, and enjoy a few chapters of Agatha Christie._

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 1:24p.m.**

Seated peacefully in the shade of a blooming tree, off to one side of the hotel's front courtyard, Kurisu's leg sat crossed over the other, donned in a knotted T-shirt and a pair of faded denim capris. With a decades-old hard-back copy of _'And Then There Were None_ ' propped open in her lap, and a nearly-empty cup of coffee seated beside herself, her fingers turned a page in a momentary push of aged paper.

_Hmm. His gun is gone... Great. Who's next?_

Eyes rising from the text on the page from the reserved approach of footsteps, she looked aside, finding the unexpected appearance of a freshly groomed Maho plopping onto the bench beside her. Evaluating her friend's state of dress in increasing interest, with a flashy array of stripes lining a tricolored blouse, wandering down to her waist and a darker skirt ending just above her knees, their eyes met with expressions of differing energy levels.

"You look cute."

"Thank you."

"Trying to lure in some Japanese boys?"

Looking further beyond the courtyard, Maho's eyebrow rose from the remark.

_Says you_... "Just one."

"Haha, I know."

Placing a bookmark between the pages and slapping the book in her lap shut, and stowing it in her bag, Makise rose to her feet from the bench, dragging Maho's attention up with her.

"Now that you're awake and functional, let's go exploring!"

Blinking repeatedly from the energetic outburst, Maho stared at Makise.

"Did you even sleep?"

"I did on the plane, and coffee I've been having will hold me over in the meantime."

"Uh, alright."

"I already know I'm going to sleep well tonight."

"Yeah. I bet." _Considering jet lag hasn't hit you yet..._

"Where around here have you been?"

Vision rising to the roof lines around them, Maho gazed at the border between the busy city and a lazy spring sky beyond.

"That depends... Let's start heading somewhere and I can show you things along the way."

Plucking her cup of coffee from the bench and downing the remainder in three gulps, Makise then offered her hand to a seated Maho.

"Okay! Let's get going then!"

Blinking tiredly at the excited redhead, however, her slender fingers grasped her friend's bigger palm, finding herself pulled upright to her feet.

_I think I need coffee. Or something._

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 2:47p.m.**

Recharging with a platter of fried pork Tonkatsu and a second refill of Bancha tea, a mirthy, full cheeked Maho looked on at the cozy surroundings and decor of a small restaurant tucked among the shops lining Chuo-Dori. Across the table, an equally satisfied Makise worked on the remaining half of a serving of chicken curry and rice, leaving both young women silent from their busy consumption.

_This is more like it. Not to say that bagel sandwich wasn't good, but... That was too many hours ago, and not deep fried.  
_

Exhaling through her nose, only to feel a chill of excitement run through her skin as her phone vibrated and chirped inside her bag, she set her pair of chopsticks aside, fumbling for the device and retrieving it.

_Okabe... If that's you texting me, you've been awful quiet for me actually being here in Tokyo. Maybe you're just saving your excitement for when we actually meet, which hopefully will be this afternoon._

Swallowing, and opening the newest message in the inbox, her lips curled into a smile, with a hint of teeth showing.

'Afternoon Maho, wasn't sure when you were to awaken, so I've kept my wayward messages down to a minimum. Hope your morning has been trouble-free and relaxing. My software work has been exactly the opposite today and I greatly anticipate seeing you soon, whether that be tonight or tomorrow.'

_Aww. I wondered... Don't you worry, you big sweet goof._

'I'm awake and eating, and happy to hear from you. ^_^ Let's make both of our evenings better and meet up somewhere today after you're done with class. Thinking the lab, maybe?'

Setting the phone aside and spearing another chunk of the fried breaded pork with the thin wood utensil, she brought the chunk of crispy meat to her mouth, pulling it free from the chopstick with her lips.

_The lab, or somewhere. Or both. Wouldn't mind seeing the others again. Plus I'll be bringing along a surprise._

Vision rising to Kurisu, who appeared to be gazing into the distance with heavy contemplation, her violet eyes suddenly met Maho's.

"You alright?"

"Just thinking about what to do tonight."

"A-Actually, I was kinda thinking we could stop by the lab. So you can meet Okabe and his friends."

"Oh. That apartment place, right?"

"Yeah. We don't have to be there all night if you want."

"We'll see what happens. Plus I want to see how you are around your dreamy tall boyfriend anyway."

Neck growing warm, Maho shooed away her teasing with a lazy swipe of her hand above her meal.

"Ohh, stop."

"I assume we're going to meet up with him first, right?"

"Working on that right... _Now_ , actually."

Plucking her vibrating phone from the table, she opened the newest response, cheekbones remaining tinted with growing mirth.

'Should I assume you remember how to get to the lab? Why don't we meet in front of the station like we did on our date. I should arrive around five-thirty like normal. Is that alright?'

Heart stirring from the mention of their date, accompanied by revered imagery of a fantastic evening together months before, she nodded towards her phone, gathering Makise's attention across the table.

'That's definitely alright. ^_^ I would definitely feel better about going to your lab with you to lead the way. Five thirty sounds just fine too. We'll be there. *^_^*'

'Sounds good. I suppose I'll see you soon, Hiyajo-san.'

'Yeah. Can't wait. Its been so long.'

'Agreed.'

Sighing, and gently setting the device aside once more, she gathered her chopsticks, distractedly tapping them onto the outer edge of her plate with a steadily beating heart.

_Only a few hours now..._

"So, what's the plan, Maho?"

Blinking, and glancing up towards Makise, her fidgeting hand became still.

"He'll be arriving by train after class around five thirty. At the train station in the middle of Akiba."

"By train, huh? He doesn't have a car?"

"You're the only one around here with one."

"Still. I kinda imagined he'd have one in college."

Eying Makise pointedly, Maho's chin rose in disagreement.

"I doubt he could afford it. He's already paying rent on a place and just getting by... I don't believe he's a rich college student by any means."

"Probably wouldn't be great to drive in a busy place like Tokyo anyway."

"Yeah. Traffic probably isn't as bad as L-A, but I'm sure taking the train is much easier, and cheaper."

"Alright. So he's showing up at five-thirty, and then..."

"We're gonna head to his place. The data lab."

"Why do you keep calling it a lab?"

"That's just its name. I didn't make it up."

"Isn't it just an apartment?"

"Yes, but it hosts their mega computer."

Head leaning slightly, Kurisu eyed Maho with a furrowed brow of curiosity.

"...And its a place to hang out. That's the real purpose of it. Okabe and his friends gather there after school. Its a sort of refuge hidden away in the city."

"You're talking about the girl and the fat guy, right?"

"Mayuri, and Hashida, yes."

"Huh. So we're meeting them too?"

"Is that alright? They're both really nice people."

"That's fine. Just getting a handle on what we're getting into this evening."

"Like I said, we don't have to be there for a long time. I just want everyone to meet you, so you'll feel welcome later on."

"And you want to spend time with your heartthrob. I get it, Maho."

Grinning as her cheeks reddened from the word, Makise gathered another scoop of her late lunch onto a fork.

"That's... Part of it, yes."

"Knowing you, that's most of it."

"Sh... _Shush_. I like hanging out with the others too!"

"So what's your plan for the evening afterwards?"

Eyes rolling up and away, Maho peeked aside bashfully.

"I'll... Probably be there for most of the evening, so I can catch up with everyone."

"What about in the late hours? Akihabara has a pretty legendary nightlife scene, you know."

Blinking from the matter-of-fact words leaving Makise's mouth, Maho's lips parted hesitantly.

_Says the first time tourist_... "I wouldn't be opposed to doing something at night. The others have a curfew with school, so I'll probably end up going wherever with you anyway."

Seeing a smirk of interest grow onto Makise's expression, Maho put her hand up in an attempt to backpedal from her own words.

"B-But that doesn't mean I'm gonna be pa-."

"Yes it does! You already said so."

_Shit._ "Alright, but I don't want to be hungover this whole week, you party animal."

"Who said drinking is all we're going to do? We're talking dancing and clubs and food... You've been to the arcades here, right?"

"Just Club SEGA."

"Yep. We'll go there too."

"That's fine, but..."

"But what? If you're coming along, we're going to have tons of fun together. I promise you that."

Sighing quietly, shoulders slumping, Maho poked at the remainder of cooling food on her plate.

"Okay. Just... Nothing too crazy."

"Would you feel better if your man came along a night or two?"

_My man... Seriously? How many times do I have to tell you_... "If he's up for it, maybe."

"College life isn't fun without a bit of late night adventure now and then. You remember those days, Maho."

Rolling her eyes, Maho sat back in her chair.

"I do. I also remember how many miserable mornings I had afterwards."

"Then moderate yourself, Maho. I'm not going to pressure you into anything."

"Promise?"

"Promise. I know why you're here in Japan, and how important this trip is for you. I'm not going to invoke any bad feelings or memories. I just want to make sure you aren't cooped up in your hotel room like last time. That's no fun at all."

Bashfully smiling, Maho's head bounced in several small nods.

"Okay."

"Besides, you've already been around here in Akihabara, and I haven't. I might end up following your lead... Senpai."

Gathering a slice of fried pork in her chopsticks, Maho grunted from the thought.

_I've only been here in the winter's cold, but_... "Alrighty."

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:26p.m.**

Weaving through consistent crowds of commuters and tourists, passing in and out of the shade of countless structures lining the city blocks, both Maho and Makise's attentions wandered endlessly around the perpetually busy environment. Squinting from the blasts of hazy heat of the spring sun, as it sank lower towards the horizon with each passing hour, Maho felt behind her head, lifting a thick ponytail from her neck in a temporary fanning of her skin.

_Went from freezing cold to sweltering hot... But this is the kind of weather I'm used to._

"Ever been there? Toranoana?"

Following Makise's outstretched finger, peering upwards towards the brightly colored vertical facade of a store across the street, Maho shook her head.

"I... Haven't actually."

"So, you've been to that electric town market, a couple restaurants... Where else?"

Vision flitting over towards the aviator sunglasses seated on the bridge of her friend's nose, Maho then peeked ahead distractedly as they wound through another group of passing pedestrians.

"Well, from what I remember, just up ahead is the huge SEGA arcade, and further past that somewhere is Mandarake."

"Ooh. Isn't that where your little kitty friend is from?"

Smiling from the thought of her fuzzy green-eyed feline plushie, crossing ten-thousand miles of ocean by her side, she began nodding.

"Yeah. I didn't even see him the first time I went. Okabe found Tucker Tux at some point and then gave him to me just before I boarded the flight back to California."

"Awww. God you two sound so cute... I can't wait to meet him. He sounds like such a sweet guy."

"He is! He's a sweet nerdy goofball, and..."

"And, he's also handsome according to your big eyes and big heart."

Grinning as they wound through more of the local populace, stepping across the segmented gaps of clean concrete, Maho's head nodded left and right.

"Yeah. Sure is."

Ears perking from the heavy clatter of a nearby train, glints of sunlight reflected off the exterior of a moving line of railcars, bringing their eyes up towards the green steel girders of a railway viaduct crossing their street. With a squeal of brakes as the train disappeared from sight on the elevated rail line, Maho abruptly halted.

"Oh crap, what time is it?"

Watching as Makise lifted her smartphone from the pocket of her capris in a swift motion, her thumb swiped across the screen in a suspenseful moment.

"Five thirty-one."

"Oh. Okay. Good thing we're pretty much there."

"We are?"

"Yeah. To the right, that way. The courtyard is not that far beyond."

"That's where he said to meet?"

"Sure is! In front of the train station. Would make sense to be somewhere obvious."

"Obviously."

Wrinkling her nose at Makise, they continued forward, entering the shadow of the bridge in an escape from the sun's persistent heat.

_For all I know... He might have been on that train that just stopped._

Palms tightening with a curl of her slender fingers, Maho stood among a growing crowd awaiting the change of a light for a crosswalk, with Makise's hand alighting upon her shoulder. Heartbeat quickening as several vehicles drew to a halt, the intersection's lights changed, and both young women began across the pavement, keeping tethered together with Makise's arm maintaining a gentle grip on her shorter friend.

"Are you ready?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I swear you've asked me that a dozen times now."

"Just making sure. He's somewhere up ahead, right?"

"Probably."

"Then this is a big moment!"

"Y-Yeah, I know."

"You've been daydreaming about seeing him again for months, and here you are, about to make it happen."

"I know! Sheesh, woman. What makes you think I'm not excited?"

Nudging Maho's shoulder with her palm, Kurisu released her hold on her best friend with a smile.

"I didn't say you weren't."

"Anyway... Its a few minutes after he would arrive, so I'm sure he's somewhere around here."

Eyes searching among dozens of passerby in a fierce scrutinization, Maho's breath was held and released, tingling with anticipation as they walked past the windows and displays of Atré One in a steady heading.

_Somewhere around here... Waiting. Keeping to his word like he's always done... And waiting for me._

Exhaling, with her heart hammering inside her chest in an escalation of anticipation, she squinted through fleeting gaps in passerby, getting only brief glimpses of the buildings across the courtyard.

_Now just to find him through all these taller people... Damn. I haven't felt this kind of crazy excitement since we both met up for our..._

Head turning in a pan across the rapidly-expanding surroundings of the train station's courtyard, the distinctly tall profile of someone leaning back against a tubular railing caught her eye, and she peered closer with a furrow of her brow. Discerning a head of messy dark hair, a graphic-printed T-shirt, and a school bag draped over the individual's shoulder, however, her footfall began slowing, only to halt outright as the figure's head rose, putting a phone to his ear as he looked somewhere into the distance.

_...Date._

Staring at the person in the distance, having revealed the breadth of his facial profile, her bag began vibrating against her hip, and Maho's vision reluctantly pulled away from the sight as her fingers retrieved the device, which was now playing a clearly audible ringtone among persistent vibration in her palm. Unlocking the screen, eyes widening from the contact ID displayed above an inbound call, an image appeared of Okabe dressed in bright red for a special occasion, and the remainder of breath in her lungs vanished as she looked back towards the distant caller, who now was squinting at his phone from a lack of an answer.

_Oh my god._

Remaining still as the young man in the distance looked towards the station with confusion, his vision then wandered back across his surroundings in a return, only to halt as their eyes made contact, mere meters apart. Visibly blinking from the presence of Maho's unmistakably short stature, her mouth open and eyes wide, his phone finally lowered from his head, still ringing.

"Isn't that him?"

Inhaling from Makise's voice, Maho burst forward into a run.

"YES!"

Rocketing across the last of the great distance that once separated them, passing several people in a blur, she watched in a magical moment of approach as a hazel-eyed college student pocketed his phone and rose upright, a smile of disbelief blooming across his face.

" _OKABE!_ "

Springing up towards him, with his arms barely opening in time to receive her swift approach, she forcefully collided into the beginnings of an embrace, burying her face into his chest, only to find herself hoisted upward off her feet. Exhaling from the rise in elevation among male grunts, she burst into a giggle of delight from the secure squeeze of his bare arms, eyes meeting his in a greatly anticipated moment of proximity. Trading exhales, with her arms coming together behind his neck, both of them remained in a quiet realm of admiration, finally able to take in the facial detail of a special someone that was previously an ocean apart.

"Hey."

Head tilting from his punctual greeting, both of them burst into a new round of laughter. Then, after a grunt and reaffirmation of their embrace, Maho gripped his shoulders as he turned around, lowering her onto the thick steel tubing of the railing he was previously leaning on, surrounding the planter of a tree. Releasing their arms from each other, with Maho propping herself upright on the railing, she gazed up at Okabe, reveling in the unfettered sense of admiration visible in his expression. Then, with a small lean, her right arm lifted up towards him, cautiously reaching closer and curling around the ridge of his chin, fingertips drifting along stubble before coming to rest against his face.

"Okabe."

Unable to resist a grin from her touch, accompanied by the marvelously smooth sound of her voice, a light laugh found its way out of his chest, eyes blinking from emotion welling up precariously close to his eyelids.

"Maho."

Letting their softly spoken names linger on, not entirely sure what to say next, Maho's hand drifted down from his face, fingertips dragging along the smooth fabric of his grey shirt, which displayed a printed diagram of a complex circuit board across its width. Studying the image emblazoned across the textile, another giggle left her insides, and her index finger gently prodded his chest.

"That's awesome."

"Thank you."

Eyes meeting once more, her eyes twinkled with amused interest.

"I see you traded your suit clothes for something lighter."

"Had to. Been getting rather warm lately. We'd all be melting if we wore long sleeves year round."

"Especially in this country."

"Frankly I've already been melting as it is."

"Well, melty or not... You look good."

Arm lowering to the pipe beneath herself, she watched as his hands hesitantly slipped into the pockets of his cargo shorts.

"Oh, I... Thanks. You look wonderful as well. Dressed for the season and all."

Smiling with delight from his bashful speech, she peeked up at him beneath her eyelids, offering an irresistible pink-cheeked smile as her legs slowly swung back and forth.

"Thank you." _You handsome, adorable, blushing bundle of amazing-ness. I can't believe you're right here in front of me. I bet you feel the same way, huh?_

Inhaling, with a lift of her chin, a hint of her teeth showed among a smile and alternating tilts of her head, causing him to laugh from their variety of exchanged expressions.

_I know you do. With the way you're laughing and behaving... You probably can't believe I'm here either. What an amazing feeling, huh?_

Peeking past Okabe's shoulder, noticing the slow approach of Kurisu just beyond, Maho watched with interest as she eyed the bodily profile of Okabe with a raised eyebrow, only for him to notice the direction of Maho's attention. With a quirk of his own brow and a bodily turn, he discovered the presence of a red-haired young woman drawing to a halt beside him, her violet eyes studying him with boundless curiosity.

"So we meet at last, _mister red sweater._ "

Blinking with great surprise at the months-old reference, spoken with a startlingly similar voice, Okabe's mouth opened.

_Good lord. It really is the real one!_

"...Says the real life Amadeus."

Bursting into a laugh, Kurisu's arms crossed beneath her bosom.

"That's me."

"Its an honor... Meeting another member of the Amadeus project."

Chin lowering in a nod, her crossed arms promptly unfolded, offering her hand towards him.

"The brain-scanning part of it, at least... Makise Kurisu."

Meeting and shaking the hand of the fair-skinned young woman, a breath left his nose.

"Okabe, Rintarou."

"Well, mister Rintarou, it seems we've heard of each other in days prior."

"Indeed we have. Thanks to someone and her artificial intelligence."

Hands separating, both of them looked aside to Maho seated beside them, blushing happily from the real-life meeting of her best friends.

_So you are fluent in Japanese, Kurisu... At least conversation won't be an issue._

"I hear you hail from the same western shores of America."

"I do. Los Angeles, California. I've attended Victor Chondria for, what, a year after Maho started?"

"Yeah. A year and a semester."

"So two years and some change."

Eyes returning to Okabe, his hand rose from his pocket, setting onto the top flap of his school bag.

"I see. Certainly explains a great deal of things."

"Oh?"

"Ah, from what I observed in January, and in following conversation with her... The dynamics of your friendship, I mean."

Watching with interest as both young women of different heights traded expressions, Maho offered a shrug, prompting Makise to roll her eyes with a smile.

"Whether or not she likes to admit it... I've been best friends with Maho for years. Since early college, actually."

"And you two ended up working on the same project through this friendship?"

"For the most part. We ended up needing a computer engineer to design the support software to store and run the data we've been collecting, with the brain mapping and scanning we were experimenting with. At the same time, Maho needed a project to work on with her major... So it ended up working out for everyone in the end. We got our engineer, and she got something to maintain and work on."

"Even though it drives me nuts at times."

Looking towards Maho, who's falsely furrowed brow vanished into a resumption of her smile, Okabe looked back and forth between both young women with ongoing interest.

"The byproduct of me being a guinea pig and my memory clone being the most utilized at demonstrations... Means that Maho here has to deal with identical best friends pestering her about things."

"I noticed."

"And I noticed your own interactions with Amadeus, mister Rintarou."

"Is that so?"

"The professor wasn't the only one that liked your questions at the expo. I saw the video logs too."

"I see. Maho has spoken several times of you interacting with your own virtual twin, as she puts it."

"Sure have. Tends to elicit some existential weirdness, but its rather fascinating."

"I can only imagine."

"Maho has her own twin as well. Did she tell you?"

" _Yes_."

" _Yes_."

Sharing a trifecta of blinks from the simultaneous answer, Makise then nodded.

"Hers was the first we did, actually. Two senpais in the same room gets pretty amusing after a short while. They both blush the same way when you tease them."

Peeking towards Maho, rolling her eyes with mirth in her cheeks, Okabe nodded towards her.

"Like that?"

"Yep."

Watching as Maho's posture straightened upright again, she looked back and forth between Okabe and Kurisu in patient waiting, legs still swinging in the open air.

"...Anyway, I believe Maho intended for us both to accompany you to your apartment... Um, _lab_ , I mean."

"Both, and yes. That was the expressed intent, and you are certainly welcome to come along."

"Then lets be on our way."

"Agreed."

Stepping towards Maho in a momentary consideration of helping her down, he instead halted as she pushed herself free from her perch, sneakers plopping down onto the tiled courtyard of the train station. Watching as the length of a slightly shorter, bushy ponytail came to rest behind her head, it then swung aside as she peeked back towards him, offering another glimpse of excitement in her brilliant green eyes as she stood beside Kurisu.

_That's right... To think I'll be seeing those eyes again... The shining gems of the emerald eyed enigma._

Stepping into a slow pace forward, bringing both young women along in sequential turns, Maho drew alongside Okabe, glancing down towards his free hand, and then looking back to Makise as she caught up to their pace, wandering back through the thoroughfare in the courtyard to an adjacent street.

"So this lab... Its not too far, right?"

"Not at all. Just a stone's throw up Chuo-dori here, and tucked a few turns back into the peaceful depths of an alley less-traveled."

Looking pointedly at Maho beside herself, who simply grinned from Okabe's seemingly cryptic words, Kurisu lowered her sunglasses onto her nose again, brushing her fingers along her eyebrow, and past her ear.

_Alright. I have no idea what's in store... But I'm curious nonetheless._

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:06p.m.**

Gathered within the stark, dim hallway of the structure's upper story, Makise stood a short distance away from the entrance, with her and Maho watching as Okabe's hand rose, curling into a fist and knocking heavily on the steel door.

" _Password?_ "

Lips parting to speak, Maho suddenly brushed closer in a much quicker response.

"Monkey wrench!"

Chuckling with surprise among the following silence, Okabe looked over towards a speechless Kurisu.

" _Huh? Who was... Oh my gosh!_ "

Listening to the rapid approach of footfall beyond, the door promptly opened, introducing light to the hallway, and Okabe stepped inside, momentarily disappearing from sight.

"...Oh, _Okarin?_ Was that your voice? I thought for sure..."

Peeping past the frame of the door, revealing her presence, Maho's face instantly grinned, and a gasp left the same mouth of the female voice heard seconds before as she stepped into the room as well.

"Maho-chan!"

"Huh? _OH MAN!_ Loli-tan returns in her petite-postured glory!"

Cautiously stepping forward towards the doorway from a shuffle of clothing and a combination of voices and laughter, Makise leaned around the corner, spotting Maho in the midst of a mighty hug from another clearly friendly young woman.

"Mayushii is so glad to see you again!"

"I'm glad to see you too, Mayuri... Its been a while."

"I'll say! The lab's been kinda quiet without our fun-sized friend around."

"Well that shouldn't be an issue this week... I also brought a friend of my own along."

"Oh? Amadeus-chan is here too?"

Seeing Maho look over directly towards her, eyes meeting, Maho's head tilted in a partial nod.

"Well... Sort of."

Stepping around the corner, revealing herself to the lights of the apartment's interior, a variety of clutter, aged furniture, and a pair of large monitors met her wandering eyes, along with the wayward glances of four other people within in the room. Seeing the blinking gapes of two vaguely familiar individuals in summer attire, Makise's mouth opened to form a greeting, vision settling on the youthful face and short dark hair of the young woman standing beside Maho.

"Oh... _Wow_."

"Wha... The android nurse returns in 3-D form?! I _KNEW_ they were working on it! Ghost in the Shell, here we come!"

Blinking from the unexpected outburst of the overweight hacker on the nearby couch, she looked to a quietly laughing Okabe standing nearby, and then to Mayuri, who's hands were clasped together with excitement blooming on her face.

"She's so pretty in real life too!"

"I, um, thank you, but... I'm not an android actually. I'm a real person."

"Of course you're a real person! You're the real Amadeus!"

"In a way, yes."

"Come on in! Okarin said Maho-chan was visiting, but he didn't say her bestie was coming along too."

"Well, _surprise_."

Attentions turning towards Maho's voice, and then to a visibly amused Okabe, leaning back against the couch seated in front of the twin monitors, he then gestured towards Makise.

"Please feel free to introduce yourself."

Cautiously stepping forward from Okabe's invitation, only for Maho to silently point towards the sandals on her feet, Makise took both of them off one-by-one, setting them aside and nudging them towards several other pairs of open-topped shoes. Composing herself, her hands then intersected in front of her waist.

"I'm Makise Kurisu. Maho's friend, and fellow researcher and scientist."

"Shiina Mayuri, but call me Mayushii."

"Hashida Itaru."

"Nice to meet both of you."

"Mmhm!"

"Right, now that introductions are settled, welcome to the Future Data Laboratory, miss Makise. The realm within these four walls that you stand in is a secret sanctum of intellectual creativity."

"A place to be freely geeky!"

"Correct, Mayuri. Here there is no need to hide your interests or illicit activities if you so choose."

Head turning in a second evaluation of her surroundings, Kurisu's hand propped onto her hip.

"So, this is a secret lair for nerd-kind."

"Pretty much."

Drifting over from the spoken response, eying the thick arm of the spectacled individual seated on the couch, her eyes then drifted towards the large monitors beyond.

"Is that the computer you kept talking about, Maho?"

"Sure is."

Stepping closer, bare feet padding across the worn wood flooring, Maho moved into motion alongside her, and in an odd moment of gathering, all individuals of the lab seemed to crowd around the couch.

"We were privy to several sessions of running Amadeus on the mighty system you see before yourself."

"Yeah? Didn't know it had such big monitors."

"Televisions."

"Nice. Some kind of cluster setup, right?"

"The towers on the left."

"As loli-tan says, eight towers in series, paired up with a server to run it all."

"Have you guys done anything new while I've been gone?"

Several eyes met Maho as her chin rested on her arms, crossed on the back of the couch.

"Nothing of notable magnitude, unfortunately."

"Made a few high scores and did a little bit of high-level trolling here and there, but yeah, no, not much else since January."

"Still waiting for the right time to upgrade the GPUs, as we've discussed."

Peeking up towards Okabe, Maho's head rolled onto her side with a smile, and the couch shifted as Mayuri flounced onto it, sending a cushion of air into her face with a toss of her bangs. Then, in a moment of collective curiosity, the lab members watched as Makise slowly stepped around the couch, setting her purse aside on the resident coffee table, and moving up in front of the monitors, turning around and sinking in a momentary kneel, only for her face to break into a smile.

"Same vantage point... Now this suddenly looks familiar."

"You... Checking something out there?"

"Just figuring out where I remember seeing the video stream, when you guys were testing with my twin."

"Video stream? Oh! Amadeus' webcam, right?"

"That's right. After you guys talked to it, I took the time to review the stored recordings of your conversations."

"Whoa. You're the original source of the AI's personality, right?"

Rising to her feet, Makise then nodded confidently.

"Amadeus currently has a virtual copy of my memory, yes. I'm the human donor of the AI you all spoke to a few months ago."

"That's so amazing! Amadeus seemed so real, almost as real as you! Obviously she was on a screen but... She was still super fun and cute."

"And hot."

"Wow, Hashida. Breaking the ice a little too heavily there."

Brushing Daru's comment aside with ease, Makise continued onward around the opposite end of the couch.

"Oh, I've heard worse pickup lines, Maho."

"I can only imagine."

"Seriously?"

"Anyway, to answer you, Mayuri, that's part of the intended purpose of Amadeus. Life-like interaction and interpretation of someone's backed-up memory."

"Maho-chan told us all about what she was working on with your project and her AI, but that's still really cool."

"Thank you. We've been working diligently on perfecting it, and Maho's been its caretaker, bringing it along to expos around the world. Haven't you?"

"Sure have." _And while I'm tired of flying everywhere but Japan..._

Eyes meeting Okabe, who was now bent over, resting his elbows on the couch in a similar manner, her chest tingled among a stirring heartbeat.

"...That's how I ended up meeting everyone here." _And how I met this person, right here beside me._

"Wow, Mayushii didn't know Maho-chan has been around the world."

"I thought I mentioned it last time... Maybe I didn't, but, yes I have."

"Do you know all kinds of languages now?"

"Um... Not quite. English is pretty common in a lot of places, so I usually get by."

"Oh."

Smiling weakly from Mayuri's short answer, Maho then peeked back as Kurisu drew to a halt just behind.

"Um, pardon me for asking, but... Is that the restroom over there?"

"Yes it is."

"Oh, Mayushii needs to give you the grand tour when you're done!"

"Ah, well, give me a minute or two, miss Mayushii."

"Okay!"

Rising upright as Mayuri launched free from the couch anyway, Maho revolved in a turn, leaning back against the furniture as the young woman wandered into the kitchen, opening an upper cabinet. Deciding instead to follow her over, Maho drifted into the kitchen space, and Okabe watched fondly as both dark-haired girls began conversing between each other right away.

"Okarin, my man, I gotta ask."

"Hm?"

Turning aside to Daru, who was looking up at him from his seat on the couch, the overweight hacker set the keyboard in his lap aside.

"Where do you keep finding all of these attractive genius girls?"

"That's a good question, Hashida."

"I mean, _BOTH_ developers of the Amadeus project are hot American girls?"

"Their professor is leading the project too. And I'm sure there's others involved."

"Still..."

Looking across as Makise appeared from the restroom, a jumble of laughter and excited speech began across the room as Mayuri collected the redhead's arm, and Maho followed just behind with amusement as she pointed at various parts of the apartment.

"...She's hella fine, and Maho-chan is the epitome of a legal loli. You've struck some kind of gold mine, bro."

Smiling as the trifecta of young women drew up alongside the couch, a glowing depiction of their computer mainframe was described by Mayuri, and both Okabe and Daru watched with momentary silence as the girls continued onward towards the apartment's window.

"I didn't know you cared for three-dimensional women, Hashida."

"A man can change, Okarin."

"Right. Changing on a whim, are we?"

"It happens."

"Even to such a stalwart mass like yourself, hm?"

"Whatever dude. Even I'll admit that more ladies make a lab merrier."

Watching as Maho peeked towards him from her current position by the lab's entrance, a smile curled onto his face from the sight of one blossoming onto her slender features.

_Yes. I wholeheartedly agree._

* * *

***CLICK-CLICK***

Looking over her shoulder, distracted from a hot kettle on oven range from the audible racking and loading of plastic weaponry, Makise studied the scene of a short-statured Maho holding an enormous NERF gun against her shoulder, aiming down the sights of a colorful toy firearm that nearly matched her own height with its length.

_That's a humorous sight._

Turning back to the wisp of steam leaving the spout of the kettle, with several bags of barley tea laying on the nearby counter, she reached for a porcelain mug hanging from a small wooden rack. Then, a volley of clicks and whooshes of flying foam darts began, and several shouts and squeals of laughter ensued from behind as both Maho and Mayuri exchanged harmless gunfire.

"Mayushii will never go down in defeat! Not with Lab Cannon Mark Two at her disposal!"

"We'll see about that!"

Pouring a serving of hot water into the mug, and then tearing open the wrapper of a bag of barley tea, placing it inside the faded white cup, Makise turned around, leaning against the adjacent cupboard as numerous rounds of ammunition flew across the open air of the room. Looking further towards the computer screens, Okabe remained seated on the couch beyond, shielding himself from stray fire and watching the ongoing exchange with quiet merriment.

_A sanctuary for creativity... And mayhem, clearly._

Reaching back and turning the mug, gripping the warm handle in her fingers, she began towards the faded green couch alongside the wall, sitting harmlessly on the surprisingly comfy cushion, and crossing her leg as she set the mug to rest on the arm of the couch. Eyes lowering from the ongoing battle, she then discovered the presence of a thick binder near her previously placed purse, eying it with unexpected recognition, and finally leaning forward, discerning a multi-lingual title on the front.

_'AMADEUS, Adaptive Memory-Based Intelligence Software'_

_Oh. So that's where this thing has been._ "Hey, Maho, isn't this the traveling logbook?"

"The one I left behind, yes. I've been intending to compile a new copy."

"But this is otherwise up-to-date, right?"

"Mostly! _Augh!_ "

Eyebrow rising from her outburst, as Maho hopped aside from being struck by two successful hits, her slender arm tugged the weapon's slide back and forth, readying another round.

_Hmmm... Wouldn't mind another perusing of this, since its been absent for three months._

Setting the steaming mug of tea onto the table, Kurisu lifted the binder from its place on the table, prying open the front cover. Finding a table of contents right away, she smiled from an immediate mention of her name present on the first page.

_Our compilation of developmental achievements... But why would you leave it behind here in Japan, Maho? Was it for Okabe?_

Glancing up towards the messy hair and gentle eyes of the computer scientist, visibly speaking to Itaru while glancing towards the battle, a smile curled onto Kurisu's lips.

_Yep. Had to have been for him. They met when she came here to demonstrate our work. There's obvious sentiment right there._

* * *

Sipping on a second, cooler mug of tea, with a video playing from the computer's speakers nearby and low conversation ensuing elsewhere, Makise's fingers brushed laminated pages aside in quick passing, storming through familiar paragraphs of text and dozens of diagrams and imagery.

_Forgot how involved this binder is... And she wants to make a new copy? You've already had enough of a struggle doing bug fixing for the past few weeks. When would you even find the time to sort out a new version of this?  
_

Skipping through several pages of a self-authored closing dissertation, her fingertips suddenly found the smooth texture of lined paper, and the presence of a handwritten note was revealed, clipped into the binder's rings and lined with dozens of characters of Japanese kanji.

_Oh, what's this?_

Squinting at the text, Makise then set her mug aside, and brought her phone from her pocket. Opening an application for a photo translator, she lined up the device's camera over the page, and with a tap on the screen, waited patiently as the program processed the image's language in silence.

'Dear Okabe Rintarou, Japanese man of mystery. You may have found this note before my actual departure, but regardless of timing, my feelings are likely to be the exact same, so here goes.'

_Oh, goodness, this must be a letter to him... Feelings, huh?_

'I could not even begin to thank you for your boundless generosity and hospitality that you've shown during my stay here in Tokyo, both of which have made my month-long stay here much easier and MUCH more entertaining and amazing than I could have expected. While you may have been impressed by my AI and programming, I was much more impressed by your own capabilities, and certainly your own monster cluster computer that did a fine job of running Amadeus. I wish I could have a portable version of your system, so I could just run and modify Amadeus on it whenever I needed to. Maybe someday you'll make a laptop version... Haha. Also, I might not have gotten a chance to properly say so, but your curiosity and passion for artistic and functional computing and its related sciences will take you great places. You will have no trouble finding a career and a place in the ever-expanding industry of digital technology that we are both a part of, I assure you this.'

_Wow. Gushing and crushing. This is cute, Maho! You wrote this by hand? I had no idea!_

'Please be sure to keep in touch, Okabe-san, because I might end up visiting Japan again in the coming future. ^_^ Best wishes, from one special someone to another,

~ Hiyajo Maho, M.C.S.'

Looking up from the screen of her phone, towards the sight of a taller Okabe now standing beside a shorter Maho, both of them looking out of the apartment's window at the remainder of the fading sunlight, Makise began grinning.

_Well, you got your wish, senpai. You're back here in Japan, and he's right there beside you._

Turning off the phone's screen and setting it aside, she looked over the handwritten characters on the page once more, with fondness from Maho's precise penmanship.

_You wrote this, and he gave you the cat plushie. You two are like nerdy little lovebirds... And to think this is the place where you two started falling for each other, too. This is adorable!_

Looking aside as Mayuri plopped onto the couch beside herself, their eyes met, and Mayuri peeked towards the unprotected page with a knowing smile.

"Isn't that cute?"

"You've read it?"

"A couple times, yeah. Not as much as he has, though."

Nodding towards Okabe, both girls eyed the prospective couple standing in front of the pane of glass.

"I can only imagine."

"He probably read it once a day after she left the first time. He really likes her."

"Definitely. Maho really likes him too. Should have heard how much she sighed when she came back to the university."

"Awww."

"She sleeps every night with a kitty plush that he got her, before she flew back."

"Ohhh gosh, that's what he got her?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Nuh uh. Those two kinda sorta operated in secret towards the end."

"Well, what wasn't a secret was how sad and lonely my little senpai became back in America."

"Okarin's been sad and lonely here in Japan!"

Eyes meeting in realization, a mutual sense of matchmaking bloomed between Mayuri and Makise, spreading identical smirks across their faces.

"This is like some kind of real life romance novel."

"Mayushii thinks they're in love and just aren't ready to admit it."

"I agree, and I think they need more exposure to each other this week."

Nodding excitedly, Mayuri's hands balled up in her lap.

"Yes! We need to make sure they have as many special moments together as possible."

"Well, Maho and I are here for the week, and we have nothing but free time on our hands."

"Oh my gosh, then let's make some nerd romance happen!"

"YES!"

Arms rising and hands slapping together in a high-five, drawing the attention of the others, both girls burst into laughter on the couch, and Okabe blinked from the expressions of mischief on their faces.

"They're getting along already."

"I'll say."

"Mayuri is one of the most friendly beings in all of Akihabara, bless her heart."

Eying the dark-haired Japanese girl, seated beside her red-haired American compatriot, Maho hummed from the sight of a newly blossoming friendship.

_Seems we're off to a good start already._

* * *

Reappearing through the ajar doorway of the apartment, pulling the metal passage shut with a rattle, heads turned as Okabe brought in an armful of freshly delivered pizza. With a welcoming wave of food smells quickly filling the room, the lab members began collecting around him as he headed for the coffee table, lowering three boxes onto the tarnished wood surface.

"Finally!"

With a dutiful whirl to and from the kitchen, Mayuri presented plates to the others, and Maho headed towards the fridge tucked into the corner, grabbing two cans of Dr. Pepper from its depths.

"Right. With this, I hereby commemorate the return of Misses Hiyajo to Japan, and additionally welcome the arrival of miss Makise Kurisu to our place of gathering."

"Yay, friends!"

"Alright, what did we all order again?"

"This one's Pepperoni, half sausage and bacon. Number two is Pepperoni with peppers and onion, and for Hashida... This third abomination with olives."

"Awesome."

Stepping up beside Okabe, who waited patiently for the others to serve themselves after prying open the thin cardboard boxes, Maho handed him the can of soda in her hand, and both computer scientists pried open the tabs in sequence, adding a fizzle of carbonation to the shuffle of clothing and food rising and lowering from plates.

" _Mmmfffishisshot_."

"Huh?"

Four sets of eyes turned towards Daru from the indiscernible speech leaving his mouth, as he then swallowed.

"...Hot, _ah, hah_ , careful."

"Shouldn't be so eager, Hashida."

"A guy's gotta eat!"

"Clearly a priority for your starving frame."

"Now hold on, even a guy like me has a figure to uphold."

"To match the memetic embodiment of a neckbeard, hm?"

"I'm not a neckbeard! I'll have you know that I shave almost daily!"

"Ehehee, Daru's first encounters with a razor were a little problematic."

Shaking his head, and blowing on the slices of pizza on his plate, Daru sat back in his rolling office chair.

"Everyone struggles with their first time, Mayushii."

"That's for sure."

Setting the plate in hand onto her lap, Makise waited patiently as Okabe gathered two different slices onto his platter, and Maho swiped three slices onto her own.

"Anyway... Thank you, all of you, for welcoming me in here. This is a cozy little place, and its nice."

"You're welcome!"

"Indeed. You can come by at any time. Bear in mind, however, that a majority of us are at school for the duration of the upcoming weekdays."

"I'll probably just visit with Maho in the evenings. Whenever you guys are around."

"As you wish."

"Sounds good!"

"The lab ended up becoming a sort of home base while I was here."

"I remember."

"...So I'll probably end up here at least once a day, if that's alright."

Smiling at a now-seated Maho, having brought over the second computer chair, Makise then looked aside to Okabe, seated cross legged on the floor, and then to a smiling Mayuri beside herself.

"That's fine."

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:39p.m.**

Standing before each other, with the faint light of an unseen streetlamp reflecting along the walls of the stairwell, two computer scientists of different heights remained in the comfort of a firm, personal embrace, standing on separate steps of the building's stairwell.

_No more ocean... No more anything. I'm here, you're here... And this hug is exactly what I've been needing._

Lifting her forehead from his chest, taking in the warm evening air and the comforting scent of Okabe's being, Maho eyed him in the dim light, teased by hints of his handsome features, and the gentle gaze of admiration in his eyes.

"...I missed you."

Seeing his eyes widen slightly, his lips drifted apart in answer just beneath.

"I've missed you too."

Cheeks tinting, nearly unseen among the darkness, her chin rose slightly.

"I'm... Going to be here for the entire week."

"Yes."

"I hope its alright if I see you every day."

"Please do."

Nodding, a cute little grin broadened across her already flushed cheeks.

"I will. I've got nothing but free time on my hands."

"I wish I could say the same."

"As long as your evenings are free... It'll be just like before, but better."

"Better?"

Seeing his eyelids lower with interest, she nodded.

"We'll make it better. The best, even. Best week ever. Does that sound alright?"

"It certainly does."

"Alright... Then I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Okay?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Taking in a tender, quiet breath, vision flitting between his eyes and his lips, she turned her face away in self-denial instead.

_Maybe I'll give it a day... We just got back tog- I mean, we're hanging out again. Together._

Eyes closing with an exhale from her nose, her arms loosened around his sides, prompting him to do the same with a matching relaxing of his limbs.

"Um... Good night then, Okabe."

"Good night, Maho."

Tingling from their parting words, she reluctantly stepped aside, and with a passing glance towards each other as they began into separate directions on the stairwell, her face slowly grew into a smile as she reached the lower landing, turning the corner and continuing a further descent to street-level.

_Good night... You amazing man of mystery._

Stepping out into the warm illumination of a streetlamp, she looked around herself, discovering Makise leaning against the wall just around the corner, a grin present on her face.

"What?"

"You two are cute as hell."

Sighing, with a knowing laugh following just behind, Maho nodded towards the sidewalk, and both girls began into motion.

"Eavesdropping, huh?"

"Maybe a little."

"Nice. No sense of privacy, apparently."

"Not in public. What really matters is whether or not you care if anyone's listening."

"Meh. Usually I don't."

"Unless it has to do with your Okabe-san up there."

Grimacing, and resigning into a blush from her tease, Maho looked ahead towards the end of the alley.

"In any case, Maho, both of you are crushing immensely on each other."

"I know."

"You can probably imagine how obvious it is."

"I knnooowwww!"

"He is handsome though... You lucky lady."

Dragging her palm down from her face, she peeked aside to Kurisu.

"Now you understand why I keep saying so."

"Sure do. Senpai's blushes and sighs make a lot more sense now. Plus you've kissed him already."

"Yeah... Almost did a couple minutes ago, but we just got here and... I dunno. I wasn't sure how he'd feel about it."

"I bet he would have loved it."

"Maybe. I know I would have... _Damn_."

"There's always tomorrow, senpai."

"Yeah. I'll find a time. He's not getting away without kisses this week."

"But is he still single?"

"I'm sure he is... With how readily he's been hugging me and letting me be close to him..."

"Oooh, that's a sign!"

"I think so."

"I know so! Maho, you little darling, you'd better make this week count."

"I will!"

"Don't be afraid to let that heart of yours take control."

"Oh, it has been in control. That's why we're already here in Tokyo."

"Mmm _hm_. Anyway... That lab back there was pretty interesting."

"Isn't it? Its a lab by name, but a hangout by design."

"In the form of an old apartment."

"Hey, whatever. I like being there."

"I didn't mind either. Plus Mayuri is a total doll. Hashida, though... That one defies description."

"Definitely. Otaku extreme."

"Absolutely."

Trading glances, both of them burst into shared laughter.

"What he lacks in common graces, he makes up for in comic relief."

"Yeah. Once you get past the nicknames and obsessions, he's a pretty cool guy."

Turning the corner onto the main stretch of a moonlit Chuo-Dori, Makise glanced up towards the night sky.

"I'll have to see that for myself."

"Yeah? Planning to go back?"

"Maybe."

"I'll be there tomorrow."

"I know."

"By the way... Weren't you planning on exploring the nightlife, now that its past bedtime?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Oh. Tired?"

"Catching up to me."

"Told you you should have slept like I did."

"Well, regardless, my batteries are low."

Peering ahead in a temporary search for their hotel, Maho squinted from the headlights of several passing cars.

"Hmm. If you're turning in, them I will too."

"Yeah? Thought you liked staying up late."

"If we're gonna go explore some more tomorrow, then I'd might as well sleep while I have nothing to do."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

**April 30th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:53p.m.**

"Night!"

"Goodnight."

Stepping up to the door of her hotel room, with Makise vanishing behind a closed door seconds earlier, Maho's thumb tapped on the screen of her phone, sending a returning text message.

_Yes, that was fun... Four hours of hanging out, and being around you was the best part of all of it._

Setting her phone into her handbag, Maho's arm rose towards the handle, only to hesitate from the sight of a small paper bag hanging from her doorknob.

_Huh?_

Stepping closer in a cautious inspection of the anonymous item, she tapped the side of the bag, watching it swing aside with ease.

_Didn't I not see this when I left?_

Peeking inside with a pull of her fingers, she peered closer at the small pile of rectangular packets within.

_Are those seriously... Oh, tea bags. Oooh, they're all Earl Grey too? Wait..._

Looking over her shoulder in a toss of ponytail-bound hair, towards a nearby door across the hall, Maho's expression changed into an amused smile.

_This has to be your doing. Thanks anyway, mischief maker._

Plucking the bag from the handle and slipping the keycard into the lock's slot, she turned the handle with a concise twist, opening the door and brushing inside. Setting the offering aside and turning on a desk lamp as the door shut on its own behind, she reached back and pulled a pair of hair ties loose, freeing the mass of dark hair behind her head.

"Hey there, Tucker kitty. I'm back."

Setting her bag aside, beside her fully charged laptop, she looked towards her open suitcase on the floor, and then across to the adjoining bathroom.

_Humm, should probably... Yeah._

Stepping across the empty carpeting, her hand swiped a light switch upward, illuminating the bathroom, and she squinted at her reflection in the mirror.

_Not too bad, huh? Flew in this morning, got here before noon, and reunited with a cute boy and his friends..._

Crossing her arms, energy quickly fading, she reached for an electric toothbrush.

_Now to go from cute friend, to boyfriend... That'd be fun._

Squeezing a dollop of toothpaste onto the head, she shoved the now-vibrating device into her mouth, busily brushing her teeth.

_Got a whole week... So let's see what happens._


	16. 10000

**Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan; 9:19a.m.**

Cutting a second stack of freshly made pancakes with a butter knife, with syrup and melted butter dribbling down along the edges in lazy streams, Maho repeatedly split the ongoing breakfast into wedge-shaped partitions, spearing them with her fork and filling her mouth with sweet breakfast batter.

_I guess its hard to avoid western breakfast... Or I'm just not trying hard. That's probably it... I mean, how do you even resist endless stacks of fresh pancakes?_

Processing the mouthful with enjoyment, her cheekbones repeatedly brushed against tufts of hair shrouding her face as she chewed, vision drifting and settling on various parts of the table.

"Maho."

Eyes flitting up towards Makise seated across the table, a lone strawberry remained speared on her fork, above a thinner stack of pancakes on her own plate.

"What?"

"I recall you saying yesterday that you wanted to try local cuisine. Was that supposed to include breakfast?"

"Was just thinking about that actually... The free buffet every morning is too convenient here."

"Honestly I'm fine with it. But I think we should try something different for lunch, and dinner maybe."

"Definitely. If we were cooking on our own for lunch, I would have insisted on making some Hirayachi."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Homemade pancakes, kinda. More savory though, not sweet like these."

"Ooh. Something Okinawan?"

"Mmhm. We'd have to get the ingredients though. Its a cheap and easy lunch you make at home. Never seen it offered in a restaurant."

"But you know the recipe, right?"

"The basic idea. Honestly you make it however you want to."

"Sounds potentially good."

Eyes rising from the missing portion in the pancake stack, Maho watched as Makise scribbled something onto her notepad, tucking it away with a smile shortly afterward.

 _You and that thing_... "Writing a reminder?"

"Yep. Whether here in Japan or back in California... I want to try making it."

Introducing a newly cut glob of pancake to her mouth, her smartphone vibrated and chirped with a newly-arriving text message, and a knowing smile crept onto Maho's face as she peeked down towards the pocket of her white and green-edged robe.

"...Did you dream about your Okabe-san last night?"

Brow furrowing, but her smile remaining, Maho's eyelids sank in a slow blink.

"Much as I would have liked to, I didn't."

"Hmm. That's no fun."

"Seeing him in person is much better anyway. That way no weird phenomenons of dreamworld will intervene."

"True. I also meant to ask last night... Is he just the same as you remembered him to be?"

Vision rising back to Kurisu, her lips drifted open.

"What, compared to back in January?"

"Yes."

Head tilting aside, Maho's shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Pretty much... Besides his clothes. Honestly I can't decide what he looks better in."

"Have you ever seen him in shorts?"

"Not until yesterday."

"He seems to dress alright."

"He always has! Don't you remember seeing him in the suit and pants?"

"Sort of."

"Well, anyway, to answer you further, he's just as nice and cute as I remembered."

"Mmm, I bet he thinks the same of you."

Looking away with a tint of pink on her cheekbones, she stuffed another forkful of pancake into her mouth.

"Mmmaaybeh."

"I bet he's daydreaming about you at his college right now."

Cheeks darkening from the thought, Maho's chin buried itself into her shoulder, followed shortly by a swallow.

_Kinda like me earlier this morning... Laying in bed for half an hour, full of hopes and heartbeats._

"...Don't bother denying it, Maho. I've already seen the way that boy looks at you."

"Yeah. I know."

"Sooo... Are you gonna help him make both of your daydreams come true today?"

Eyes closing, a breath seeped from Maho's nose.

"That would depend on what he's even thinking about." ... _You relentless romantic._

"I think you can guess."

"Oh yeah?"

"Probably the same thing you missed out on last night."

"What... Oh, that. Maybe."

"Maybe... You should kiss him today."

Chin rising, and eyes opening to the roof of the cafeteria they sat in, Maho's face cracked into a helplessly embarrassed smile.

"Maybe I will."

"You've done it before... Find the perfect time, and I bet it'll just happen like magic."

Nodding from the developing scene in her imagination, a sigh drifted from Maho's lungs.

_Yeah. That boy is magic... And so are his lips. Damn._

Chest bouncing from a quiet giggle, she set her fork onto her plate, reaching for her phone.

_I gotta get me some of that magic today._

* * *

**May 1st, 2012; UNIQLO Atré One, Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan; 11:36a.m.**

Brushing through a selection of shirts hanging from a circular rack with slow sweeps of her palm, Maho squinted from the seemingly unending denial of tops available in her size, only for her eyes to widen from one particular blouse presenting itself among the selection. Yanking the textile out with an upward tug, an expanse of cool teal-blue faded up into a black collar and short sleeves, and she turned it around with a twist of the hanger.

_Extra small. Finally._

"That's cute."

Peeking aside from the errant introduction of an also-browsing Makise, she began nodding in agreement.

"Probably gonna get this one."

"Nice. Find any others yet?"

"Still looking."

"Well, don't feel like you have to leave with an armful of clothing."

Pointedly eying the layers of shirts draped over her arm, with a pair of denim shorts hidden among them, Maho's eyes rose to Kurisu's growing smile above.

"Says you."

"I'm still deciding on half of these."

"And you'll walk out with most of them."

"You never know, Maho. I just can't believe how cheap the prices are here. Doesn't even seem real."

"Well, get used to it. Everything is priced better here."

"And the quality doesn't suffer as a result. Marvelous."

Continuing around the rack in a slow orbit, Maho then veered off, approaching a series of multi-tiered shelves and rising onto her toes in several temporary inspections of the folded textiles surrounding herself.

"...Let me know if you need me to get anything from high up."

Revolving around and pointedly eying Kurisu, who slowly strolled closer with a smile tucked into the corner of her lips, Maho quirked her brow towards her taller friend, only to resign into acceptance of the offer as she stepped past.

"Kay."

Peeking down at her own dress sandals, her lips pursed from the compact presence of her feet beneath her bare legs.

_Wouldn't need help if I wasn't so damn short..._

Reaching across and lifting a button-down shirt from its place, she squinted at the dark stitching pattern present across the fabric.

_I need taller shoes. Or better yet... I just need the soaring height of Okabe's reach here with me. Then he can pick things for me to wear from the lofty shelves out of reach._

Folding her arms closer under her bosom, her vision rose towards the tiled roof of the store with a growing smile.

_Yes. I should bring him shopping in the future. Getting anything, anywhere. No step stool or asking for help... Just a tall and charming young man with me to assist._

Head rolling aside onto her shoulder, breaths of light laughter bubbled from her throat as her imagination continued to wander.

_That would be perfect._

* * *

Squinting from a re-entry into the midday sunlight of the station's courtyard, with single shopping bags slung from their elbows, both Maho and Makise donned different colored pairs of thin-rimmed sunglasses. Then, with a silent trade of glances towards the other, a smile appeared beneath Kurisu's aviators as Maho pushed hers closer, index finger drifting along the bridge of her nose.

"Feel like you got everything?"

"Yep."

"What's the damage?"

"Fourteen-thousand, eight-hundred Yen."

"Oof."

"Not bad, honestly. What about you?"

"Sixty-five-hundred."

"For two shirts and... What else?"

"Other things."

" _Things_. Okay."

Looking aside, attention drifting along the concrete flank of the elevated bridge leading to the UDX center nearby, Kurisu's vision settled on Maho's bushy head of hair just below as it shifted in a toss.

"How much made it out from that pile you were carrying earlier?"

"Five."

"Only five? I'm stunned."

"My suitcase doesn't have infinite storage."

"Hmm. Shame."

"Otherwise I would be bringing home a lot more than this."

"You should go bigger with your luggage then."

Furrowing her brow from Maho's seemingly matter-of-fact statement, her free arm settled onto her hip, shifting slightly as they walked.

"Think so?"

"Uh huh."

"Yours is almost as big as you are."

Nodding confidently, Maho looked on, smiling ironically from the thought.

"I know it is, and it works nicely because of that."

"Its so big, we could probably pack you inside of it."

"Um, please don't."

"Then begins the adventures of a self-smuggling Senpai."

Shaking her head from Kurisu's humorous ramble, a mildly impatient breath left Maho's nose.

"You're crazy."

"A little bit."

"Anyway... You'll solve your own packing dilemma with a bigger suitcase. Simple."

"I don't have an actual dilemma, but I'll entertain the idea."

"And by the end of this week, you might even realize I'm right."

Glancing down at Maho, allowing her sunglasses to drift down her nose and reveal the amusement in her eyes, Kurisu then patted her shoulder with her hand.

"We'll see."

* * *

**Hyakuin Style Standing Bar, Akihabara, Tokyo; 3:57p.m.**

Sipping from ice-filled glasses of plum wine, having long since deposited their prior shopping spoils in their hotel rooms, both Maho and Makise stood within the lively confines of a popular Japanese tavern, leaning back against the wall in continued observation of their surroundings. With several dozen other patrons conversing and milling about, taking up already limited space for movement, both girls elected to stay put, calmly drinking to pass the time.

_Umeshu... Tachinomi. Getting publicly imbibed, Japanese style._

Taking in another slurp of the beverage, lips and tongue puckering in a savoring of the sweet and sour flavor, Maho's attention drifted through the bar's busy thoroughfare.

_I feel like this is going to be a funky night. Already starting the afternoon off in a bar... Sure glad I don't have any serious obligations this week or I'd probably be screwed._

***slurp***

Lips pursing, and tongue curling against the roof of her mouth from the fresh tart splash, she looked up beyond the heads of the other occupants, eyes squinting among a swallow.

_Hmm. Got one obligation, actually, and he's sitting in class right now. Sure wish we could just yank him out of his college for a day. Not that I mind him being as dedicated to his studies as he is..._

With a cross of her arms, nestling together against her stomach, she held tightly onto her beverage as a depiction of Okabe in a classroom setting appeared in her mind's eye.

_I think I just want to see him in the morning, honestly. I can't even remember the last time I have. Maybe I haven't. Holy hell._

Drawing in a breath of realization, gathering the wayward attention of Kurisu besides her, Maho stared into the distance in a furious search through her memory.

_I'm sure I'm just forgetting a time I did. A weekend, surely. Or maybe I'm crazy._

"Hey, senpai."

_Yeah. I feel like we've only seen each other in the evening for the most part. How weird._

"Maho!"

Jerking away from a framed portrait on the opposite wall, Maho's hair shifted in a distracted twist of her head.

"Hm? What?"

"Have you wondered about what's going on back in Cali since we left?"

"Um... Not yet, no." _...And I'm not sure why I would. I've been obsessing over the thought of coming back here to Japan for almost four months now._

"Oh. I mean, its not a big deal. Just finding it interesting to consider what goes on in our absence."

"Hardly anything good, I'm sure."

"Hah, yeah, probably not."

"Just the same old traffic and random seismic rattles."

"I'm sure there's plenty of both here too."

Taking in another larger gulp, Maho brushed aside Makise's counterpoint with an upward sweep of her eyes.

"Maybe." _But its not the city that matters so much. My real draw here is the people._

"...But, anyway, my point was that I'm sure we're not missing much. Not compared to being here."

"Oh yeah?"

"Heck yeah. We're only a day and a half in and this has already been a wonderland getaway. I'm not even the one with the boyfriend here either."

Eyes closing, Maho's exhale blew ripples across the liquid in her glass as she pulled it from her lips, only for Makise to clink her own glass against hers.

"You just wait, Maho. The fun has only just begun. Today, tonight, and tomorrow."

"You sound like you have big plans."

"No, no plans. Just gonna see how things go, you know?"

Looking up towards the calm, blooming smile spread across her best friend's faintly flushed cheeks, their eyes met, and Maho offered a nod moments later.

"Yeah. Sounds good." _Mostly 'cause that's how I'm expecting this whole week to be._

"Out here, we can be out and about and not have to worry about anything, really."

"Alright, party girl. Still play it safe, no matter how safe Tokyo's streets are."

"Yes, mom."

"Senpai to you."

"Mm _hmm_."

Tilting her glass up high, gulping down the remainder of plum wine among the clatter of melting ice cubes, Makise then pushed free from the wall, shuffling past several shoulders towards the bar's counter.

_Besides... I've got my own mission going on, whether or not it seems like it. Plus I'm not really up for rescuing you from whatever mayhem you seem to get into... Genius._

Peeking down to her handbag with a startle as her smartphone vibrated within, transferring the sensation to her side, her fingers pried the bag's insides apart, retrieving the device.

_Speaking of a mission, what is tonight's objective anyway? Drinking, and then what? Are we going to stop by the lab?_

Looking at the notification of several inbound emails on the main screen of her phone, a sigh fought its way from her chest, only for her phone to vibrate in her palm again.

_Ooh, is that... It is! There you are._

Alighting upon an inbound message from Okabe, her already-warm cheeks became a little more noticeable as her thumb slowly drifted up along the screen.

_Yeah. Been thinking about you too, handsome. You must have a lot of time to daydream. Or you're getting nothing done. Either way... I don't blame you, hehe._

Tapping on the empty input for a reply, her fingertip pecked the screen in a series of dedicated motions, eyelashes flapping from her slower-than-normal typing.

_Let's see... 'Out and about and getting touristy with Kurisu. Did girl stuff all morning. Might be in a bar currently. Ask me anything. ^_^'_

Pressing her thumb onto a virtual send button, and then turning off the screen, she kept the phone in her grasp.

_Seriously, Okabe-san... Ask me anything right now. We're putting down drinks and I've got nothing else going on. I bet nobody's even gonna care if you're texting in class either._

* * *

**Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 4:04p.m.**

Sitting among several other students in the university's computer lab, with the lights off and a video projector playing on a wall ahead, Okabe's attention remained entirely on the dim screen of his phone, typing another rapid response to Maho with legs crossed and wrists resting on his thighs.

_'Watching something on the projector about Boolean networking. Was watching, at least.'_

_'Oops. ^_^ Am I distracting you?'_

_'A fair bit, yes. You two go anywhere interesting today while doing said girl stuff?'_

_'Mmhm. Checked out a couple stores. The station is loaded full of shops and we wandered around inside for at least an hour. Sorta had lunch too. Now we're at a bar and I feel like the rest of the day is about to become a blur.'_

_'A blur? Is that good or bad?'_

_'Not sure. If its fun then its a good blur then, right?'_

_'Right.'_

_'Then we'll make sure to have fun.'_

_'Perhaps I could assist...?'_

_'Please do! What are you doing after class anyway?'_

_'Have no idea, honestly.'_

_'Think you'll be busy?'_

_'Not likely.'_

_'Hmmm... Good. ^_^'_

_'Cooking up evil plans?'_

_'Maybe. Depending on what's going on later... We might drop by the lab again.'_

Unable to resist a smile from the thought of a mischievous smirk spreading across Maho's face, Okabe tingled with interest, heart beating a slight bit faster.

_'Feel free. Regardless of sobriety, both of you ladies are welcome at any time.'_

_'Hehe, thank you. Like I said though, not sure how things will go these next few hours. I'll try and update you no matter what, okay?'_

_'Sounds good.'_

_'Yay! I'll see you sometime soon, promise.'_

_'Something come up?'_

_'Huh? No. Just being honest.'_

_'Oh.'_

_'Silly ^_^ Just looking forward to hanging out with you again.'_

_'Certainly. I feel the same.'_

_'Yeah?'_

_'Yes.'_

_'Mkay. *^_^*'_

Imagining the soft pink of a blush on her cheeks from the emoticon in her message, Okabe's chin rose, attention finally returning to the video playing in front of everyone in the classroom, only for his eyelids to droop from continued disinterest in the moving imagery.

_Something tells me my evening has already been decided... And not by me. Oh well. The emerald enigma is back for a week of adventure and distraction, and... She's doing a fine job with the latter part. I can only imagine how she's feeling though. She did say she came back here to Tokyo because of me. Was that truly the reason? A week-long vacation here in Akihabara, being specifically certain to visit the lab on day one and dragging her friend along..._

Eyes finally closing, a smile remained on his face as his head leaned back.

_Huh. Who's to say I'm not the reason she came back? She's certainly been excited to see me, and I... Well, its been a while since I've felt giddy like this. Giddy... Is that the right word? Sure. Emotion-addled excitement. The kind of stuff that happens when a beautiful woman magics her way back into your daily life for a week._

Letting a single chuckle escape his throat through his nose, his vision flitted back open to the dark roof of the classroom, with thin shadows cast across the tiled ceiling from the projected glare.

_Magic. The mysterious power that women seem to possess... Miss Hiyajo certainly has her own way with it, doesn't she? Brilliant and assertive one minute, and then adorable and doe-eyed the next. Good heavens._

Looking down as his phone vibrated in his lap, his lips finally parted in a grin.

_Alright. Do as you wish, Maho. As it happens, I would love to see some of your magic ways tonight... And perhaps some other things. I assure you there won't be anything else that requires my attention in the meantime. Not with you finally within arm's reach once again._

* * *

**82 Ale House, Akihabara, Tokyo, 4:22p.m.**

Seated among a row of stools, leaning forward over a smoothly-worn counter, Maho's fingers remained curled around a half-empty glass of highball-mixed Suntory whiskey. Drifting along dozens of bottles on shelves beyond, and then wandering over to the Auburn-red locks spilling over the shoulder of her best friend, she stared at the hem of Makise's shirt sleeve in an ongoing glaze.

_Your tan vanishes every winter. Can't hide that stubbornly fair skin forever, huh?_

"Maho."

" _Mm_."

"Just thought of something about our AI."

"Huh?"

"Amadeus."

Vision rising to the vivid violet of Kurisu's irides, her mouth slowly opened, allowing in the cool moving air of the bar.

"What about it?"

"You know how we're able to access it on different computers by connecting to the university's database?"

"Yes." _You also need my support software, but, anyway..._

"Do you think the interactions with Amadeus at different places and times... Would that imply a sort of split-personality effect?"

Brow furrowing in temporary befuddlement, and then surmounting the prompted question, Maho's chin rose in a silent delay of speech.

"Are you... Referring to the fact that our memory scans are a copied parallel of our personalities?"

"No. I mean, that's a good point, but not what I'm thinking of."

"What are you thinking of?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Hmm. Woe is the neuroscientist that can't get her own neurons in order."

Snorting with a laugh, arm sliding across the edge of the bar counter, Makise's head tilted slightly, dragging her own glass of Schochu back and forth along the surface in a slow sweeping motion.

"...From what I've seen over development time, regardless of the location or frequency of access, all of the learned memory data is added with each interaction session and keeps being built up and modified. It still works like our own brains, adding on datum regardless of the source."

"Hmm. Maybe I'm just thinking of when different people interact with it."

"Then think about it like this... Your personality changes based on the people you interact with. But that doesn't... Oh, wait..."

"See?"

"Well, hold on. Its just behaving like we do with interpersonal associations, isn't it?"

"The memory is copied from our brains, so it has no choice but to behave exactly like we do."

"And I coded the program to work that way too, but... I think your thought about split personality is just a consideration of behavioral change towards other people."

"Maybe."

" _Maybe?_ You're the brain expert here."

"I am."

"And yet you're stuck on your own query about your brains on my programming."

Nodding towards the glass in her hand with a smile, Kurisu's teeth appeared among a grin as Maho's brow flattened beneath her bangs.

"...Anyway, I think a personality split is the wrong way to put it. Something like that wouldn't happen unless the original memory donor has that as a preexisting aspect of their personality. Anomalous things like that don't just pop into existence when it comes to electronic data. They have to be created."

"True. Data isn't DNA, and I don't think either of us have a multiple-personality-disorder."

"Now that I think about it though... Our memory sets are separately loadable. We choose who to load whenever we want, so in effect... That's a multiple personality scenario."

"Oooh. Yes."

"Okay. So our memory sets don't have a split personality disorder as an inherited mental trait, but the different memory sets in themselves, are two different, all-inclusive, stand-alone personalities."

"Mmmhm."

"So, in a way, Amadeus actually does have a split personality. It operates as a shell of sentient existence that hosts our loadable memory. I think what you were trying to get at earlier, is that its not the specific memory's personality that has multiple personas, but rather the program's functional identity of being a host of multiple personalities."

"Whoa."

Brow quirking from Makise's oddly simple answer, Maho's fingertips drifted along the ridges of the damp, tacky glass in her hand.

"Is that what you were trying to think of?"

"I believe so."

"Huh. Not convinced?"

"I am, however... Now I'm wondering about something else."

Exhaling, Maho brought her glass to her lips, reintroducing the burn of hard liquor to her throat with a swallow.

 _Okay_... "What kind of something?"

"What happens when two people access Amadeus at the exact same time?"

Squinting from the lingering heft of whiskey on her tongue, Maho's brow furrowed in contemplation again.

"Well, humm. To be honest, I don't know if that's ever happened. I'm not even sure what would be the result."

"Really?"

"You could ask it if its been simultaneously accessed, but I've never tried it personally."

Nudging her chin with her index finger, and then resting her head onto her thumb, Kurisu sat still.

"Huh."

"I mean, either it would load two instances somehow, or one would cancel the other, or something. Regardless, I'm sure there'd be a huge error log of some sort."

"What if it did run multiple instances successfully?"

"I don't know."

"You think its capable?"

"As long as the computers accessing it are, I imagine it would run like normal."

"Imagine if you had two computers facing each other, and started it up on both."

"What, so they see each other?"

"Yeah."

Humming with sudden curiosity, Maho's mouth began curling into a smile.

"That'd be weird, and really interesting."

"Sounds paradoxical, honestly."

"Definitely."

"It would talk to itself, right?"

"I would assume so."

"But how would it react to evaluating and answering itself?"

"I have no idea. Either it would come to terms with seeing itself in a sort of mirror image, or... _Oof_."

"What?"

"It could start to suffer some kind of runaway effect. A closed loop of constant self evaluation, its resulting responses, and exponential data gains from what it learns."

"An existential singularity."

"Maybe. I'm pretty sure the program would run out of usable memory space on one or both of the host computers, and just crash a short time afterward."

After a few moments of blinking from the discussed scenario, both Maho and Makise then burst into laughter.

"I almost forgot that crashes even used to happen with Amadeus."

"That's cause we haven't seen any for a long time. I've gotten its code stable enough that your experiments won't break it."

Grinning as Makise continued snickering, Maho then looked over her shoulder from wandering wafts of freshly presented food several paces away.

"Getting kinda hungry again."

"Well there's loads of goodies over there."

"I know. That's what I'm looking at."

"I'll get some more if you do."

"Let's do it."

Slipping off of their respective stools with drinks in hand, wandering through the less-crowded thoroughfare towards a display counter laden with dozens of plates of freshly cooked appetizers, Maho's eyes gleamed from the savory snacks and offerings before them.

"Hundred Yen a pop... Snacking and I can't stop."

"Ooh. Nice rhyme there, senpai."

"It happens."

"A poet, and she knows it."

"Better believe it, woman."

* * *

**May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:51p.m.**

"Kuramaebashi... _Dori_."

"The lab should be right up this way."

Inspecting the silhouettes of the surrounding cityscape, as both her and Maho continued in and out of shadows cast on the concrete sidewalks, Makise listened to the busy metropolitan ambience all the while, with Maho's voice mumbling next to her as she fidgeted with her smartphone.

"Didn't we just go this way yesterday?"

"Uh huh."

"Sooo, if we've been there already, why are you trying to look at a map?"

"Its still loading, hold on."

Hesitating from her question being largely ignored, Makise glanced towards Maho's blue and white smartphone.

"...What's the next street?"

"The, umm, alley before the light. That one. _There_. I swear."

Eyes drifting from Maho's pointed finger, to a traffic light a single city block ahead, she squinted from an attempt at recall.

"Alright."

"I have the address saved somewhere... Have for a long time now."

"Why didn't you just have the app path its way there?"

"I'm not sure if it'll go all the way into the side alleys."

"You never know."

"Anyway, he sent this message after we first met, that was like, some kind of adventurous narrative of directions that led me to his apartment."

"And that's how you found your way there the first time?"

"It is. Didn't even get lost."

"That's hilarious."

"He's such a goofball. I wasn't sure about straying into a quiet alley at first... But the lack of through traffic is kinda nice, honestly."

"Compared to the rest of Tokyo's streets, I can see that."

Peeking around the corner of a newly opening alley a short distance before the poles of the traffic light, however, Maho halted, and her arm shot out in a gesture.

"This waayyy."

Following easily behind Maho's short stride as they continued in a turn, Makise watched with amusement as her mane of dark hair bobbed and swayed with her movements.

_Hehee, I can only imagine what Okabe thinks when he sees her walk. Sashaying along with her proud little march. She's a crackup. Seeing them both walking together is going to be a treat too. They already did yesterday, but that was the first time they've been around each other for three months... Maybe when they're a little more comfortable, we'll see what happens._

"There it is."

"Hmm, now I recognize the brick construction again."

Drawing to a halt in front of the CRT shop on the bottom floor, looking together towards the dim stairwell to the left, and then up to the large glass window a story above, both young women then began smiling as they promptly approached the steps.

"Let's go steal us an Okabe."

"Copy that, senpai."

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo, 6:06p.m.**

"Alas, my rotund comrade, one does not simply brute-force such a process without error-riddled results."

"Lame! Its their fault for not having their own code being up to spec."

"Yes, quite. Up to spec to withstand the furious flying fingers of a hack-wizard."

"Hah, well, I guess nobody's stuff is high spec enough then."

 ***BANG***  
**_*BANG*_ **  
***BANG***  
**_*BANG*_ **  
***BANG***  
**_*BANG*_ **

Startled by a rapid-fire knocking on the apartment's metal door, both Mayuri and Daru turned quizzically towards the entrance, and Okabe rose from his lean against the computer couch, brow quirking from a hint of distant laughter.

"Um... Password?"

" _Monkey wrench!_ "

Trading several looks from the correct answer by two female voices, Okabe began to wander across the room in an increasingly curious approach, only to pause as the entrance opened itself.

"...That is the password, right?"

Discerning the voice of Makise Kurisu, and a hushed whisper and giggle, a smile curled onto his face as the bushy hair of Maho appeared in a lean around the doorway, with Makise's red hair appearing just above her.

"Yes it is, come on in."

"Okay!"

Watching with fascination as the bright colors of spring clothing and attractive young women drew inside, Okabe's hands drifted towards the pockets of his shorts, only for his thumbs to slip inside, leaving the other fingers hanging free.

"Oooh, Maho-chan and Makise-chan!"

"Heya Mayuri... _Mayushii_ , I mean."

"Either one...!"

Distractedly watching as Shiina stormed over and gathered both of them into separate hugs, lifting Maho from her feet in a strong temporary squeeze, Okabe's vision drifted across his childhood friend's excited expression, Makise's flowing red hair, and then with a final turn, settled onto the smiling, mirth-laden expression of Maho, who slowly stepped closer, attention fully set on him. Heart beating from their expected arrival, and Maho's presence in particular, his lips parted, mind whirling on how to greet her.

"Okabe."

"Hiyajo-san, _ah_... Maho."

Smile blossoming from his still-bashful greeting, her arms came together behind her back, gazing up at him.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Oh, we're just on an ongoing adventure, kind of."

"As I read."

"Yeah. Are _you_... Are you busy?"

Settling into a slight lean, his head passively turned left and right.

"Not at all."

"Do you have homework?"

"I do not, thankfully."

"Okay. Have you eaten?"

"I haven't."

"Ooh, that settles things."

Eyes widening as she promptly bounded closer, her slender fingers encircled his wrist, pulling his arm forward and gently tugging him along as she spun around, facing Kurisu a short distance away.

"Settles... What exactly?"

"What we're about to go do! Come along."

Stepping forward willingly as his arm slackened, a crooked smile lifted the corner of his cheek.

"Am I joining your adventure now?"

"Do you want to?"

"A-Ah, yes of course, that is... _Sure_."

"Yay!"

"You girls going out?"

"For food and adventure!"

Answering Mayuri's question with a nod alongside Maho's outburst, Makise's hands settled lightly onto Mayuri's shoulders, a friendly and apologetic smile on her face.

"We're stealing Okabe for a little while, if that's alright."

"Of course its alright! That goofball needs to go out more often anyway."

Sharing a nod of prior understanding, both Mayuri and Makise giggled with amusement as Okabe halted at the entrance, seemingly holding back a now-unseen Maho with his arm.

"Hashida, uh, I'll get back to you regarding the results of your exploits."

"Roger, chief."

"And Mayuri..."

"Go have fun, silly!"

Seeing Kurisu approach, with Shiina offering a smile and wave just behind, Okabe finally released the brakes on his feet, disappearing into the darker hallway outside of his apartment as Makise shut the metal door with an expected rattle. Then, with a trifecta of footsteps on the concrete stairs and a glance over his shoulder, Okabe glimpsed red hair following just behind as he turned the corner, reintroduced into the evening's fading light seconds later.

"Wisely chosen, Rintarou."

Blinking from the prophetic statement uttered by Makise as she drew past him, taking the lead of their procession as Maho happily towed him along by his hand, he looked down towards the soft, small digits curled in his grasp, and a rush of elation bloomed within his chest from the sight, with the short young woman peeking back at him seconds later.

_Taken by the hand into an adventure, with the emerald enigma and friend... A wise choice indeed._

* * *

Stepping closer to the apartment's window, hesitantly peeking down towards the alley below, nothing different entered Mayuri's sight, and her hand rose to her cheek.

_Okarin. Its good that you're going out and about, especially with Maho-chan leading the way. I know you'll have tons of fun with them. Hopefully you'll be fine with classes tomorrow if you're out late, and..._

Blushing with widening eyes, from several thoughts of Okabe at the whims of two young women at the same time, her hand covered her mouth.

_Oh dear, Makise says she wants to get Maho and Okarin together... But who's to say she doesn't have her own secret plans?_

Turning back towards Itaru, distracted by the twin monitors ahead and a furrowed brow on his face, Mayuri approached the couch with a padding of slippers.

"Ohh, Mayushii hopes Okarin can handle two American girls at the same time."

"Wow, thanks for the thought, May."

"I'm serious! They're pretty feisty from what I hear."

"Yeah, well, that lucky bastard... Loli-tan is already his, and now the mega-fine red-head is onto him too. Not fair!"

Blinking from from Daru's comical complaint, however, Mayuri eventually resumed smiling.

_Maybe I shouldn't worry. The Okarin I know should be able to handle adventures like this. Even with more than one girl._

"Don't worry, Daru. Mayushii thinks one day our hack wizard will find a super pretty hack witch of his own too."

"Maybe if she cosplays as one... Or is a goth. Hmmm..."

Having seemingly soothed a grumpy Hashida, Mayuri then lifted her phone from her pocket, awakening the screen.

_The best thing I can do for him is to give him good advice, right?_

Tapping several times on her phone's inbox, she began composing a new message.

_'Heya goofy buddy, Mayushii's here even though you're out there! Just wanted to offer a little bit of lady advice since you're out with double the girls tonight...'_

* * *

Several meters away from the Future Data Laboratory, three pairs of eyes watched as a stubby little pickup truck turned onto the pavement ahead, with headlights sweeping across the walls and utilities lining the alley.

"Whoa, what?"

Drifting away from the middle of the passage, the trio watched with captive interest as a wheeled vehicle entered the normally-empty area, and the red glow of brake lights appeared on the ground and reflective surfaces behind.

"Rintarou!"

Stopping their progression as the truck ground to a halt beside them, the menacingly muscular, bald-headed profile of a man became visible in the vehicle's right-hand driver's seat, tempered by a half-interested expression on his face.

"Mister Tennouji. Evening."

"What's up with you, boy? Looks like you've found some company."

"I have, so to speak."

"Yeah?"

"Just going out for an evening, sir."

"With two ladies, huh? Didn't know you had that in you."

"Ah, well, neither did I."

Chuckling from the reserved answer from Okabe, the man then brought his sculpted arm onto the top of the vehicle's steering wheel.

"Anyway, I'm closing up shop in a few. You three have fun now."

"Yes sir. You have a good night."

Chin lowering in a single chuckle and nod, the truck slowly sputtered forward in a resumption of motion, and Okabe looked towards both Maho and Makise as their eyes finally detached from the temporary visitor.

"Who was that?"

Exhaling, his eyes rose towards the fading colors in the sky.

"My landlord."

"That guy is your landlord?"

"Yes. Mister Tennouji. He owns the CRT shop beneath my apartment."

"Huh."

"He's got some huge arms, damn."

"Better be sure to pay your rent on time, Rintarou."

Shoulders shrinking together from Kurisu's teasing statement, the three of them began forward once more, and Okabe drew closer alongside Maho in a slightly swifter stride.

"I do, without question."

Lifting his phone from his pocket after a surprise vibration, he tapped on the alert for a new text message, and squinted briefly at a paragraph of text laden with emoticons from Mayuri.

_What... Lady advice, huh? She must think we're on some triple date mayhem. Truth be told, Shiina, there's only one hand I'm holding right now._

Sending a much shorter, confident response back, he grunted, slipping his phone back into the pocket of his cargo shorts. Seconds later, drawing to another halt directly beside Maho, the three of them stood on the sidewalk corner of Kuramaebashi-Dori, watching a steady stream of evening traffic pass.

"I'm kinda surprised to see a car on this street."

"No kidding."

"You said there almost never are any."

"In my two years of living here, automobiles are few and far between on this stretch of pavement behind us."

Looking around at their urban surroundings, Maho then glanced up at Okabe with a resumption of curiosity, gathering his attention with the twinkle of her irides.

"Whatcha feel like eating?"

"I honestly thought you ladies already had a place in mind."

"Hah, nope, not at all. Your abduction was first priority. Now we're on the hunt."

"For dinner?"

"Yes sir."

"Better watch out, Okabe, Maho's a big eater."

"Oh, I've witnessed the power of her appetite."

"Yeah?"

"Believe it or not, she and I have eaten together several times."

"As I've heard."

Slowly shaking her head with amusement, Maho's heart stirred happily as the intersection's lights changed, allowing them to cross the street seconds later.

"Kurisu's nearly lost fingers from getting too close to my noms."

Glancing down at bobbing dark hair of the young woman beside himself, sashaying along in a series of bouncy steps beside him, Okabe's chest shook with a chuckle hidden among the city's ambience.

_Feisty, and a cheerful delight. How I've missed these things about you._

Keeping her hand securely within his grasp, with her thumb discreetly drifting along his knuckles in a soft exploration, his chest buzzed with growing excitement.

_I'm sure you feel just the same too. Which is why you should hold my hand as long as you wish... Maho._

* * *

**Go!Go! Curry; Chuo-Dori, Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:46p.m.**

Seated shoulder-to-shoulder on a row of padded bar stools, surrounded by red and yellow decor of a popular fast-food restaurant and the varying scents of rich sauces and cooked meat within, Okabe, Maho, and Kurisu busily consumed respectively-sized servings of beef curry. Between both of the taller university students, Maho remained silent in a pitched battle against her much larger serving, steadily winning out with over half of her platter emptied of its sauce-coated contents, only occasionally looking up towards her friends as they stuffed their faces in a noticeably slower pace.

_Hard to believe this is considered fast food... I mean, it was cooked and served quickly, yeah, but... Its amazing!_

Slipping her fork from between her lips in an outward draw, she twisted the handle in her fingers, only to swiftly spear the tangs of the etched silverware into another cut slice of beef, tucking a glob of noodles onto it as well.

_I'm sure Okabe's been here before, but I sure haven't, and neither has Makise... And it looks like she's enjoying it with a beer. Hmm..._

Vision flitting away from the brown bottle as it was gently lifted from the counter surface, and then bringing the prepared scoop of food to her mouth, her head turned in a curious wander to Okabe beside herself. Busily chewing with packed cheeks, her chin lifted in a discreet rise along his bodily profile, up to the movements of his own cheeks at work.

_Hehee. Watching you eat is funny. The faces you make are priceless._

Head spinning as her opposite shoulder was nudged, Maho silently looked toward Kurisu, who offered a nod towards Okabe, only to wink at her shorter best friend.

_...Huh? No. Not here in a restaurant you weirdo. Or, wait... What are you even hinting at?_

Brow furrowing as a glint of teeth appeared among her friend's lip, only for her to burst into a full-cheeked giggle, Maho blinked repeatedly after a swallow, only to look back across to Okabe, realizing his attention was lowering from Makise's mirth, to her now-changing expression.

_She's mental, and tipsy right now. Its okay._

"So I've... Only briefly conversed with Maho here about it... But how was your day out here in Akiba's streets?"

"We went to some places and bought some things. Clothing mostly."

"Oh, it wasn't that blasé senpai. You had more fun than you're willing to admit."

"I was getting around to further details!"

"Mmm, see, Okabe, she's being vague cause she was working on getting nice things to wear while she's around you."

"SHH... _Shush_ you!"

"Its true!"

Grinning from her flustered cheeks of embarrassed admittance, Okabe's brow rose with pleasant surprise.

"I see."

"...And things for whenever I feel like wearing them."

"Like the cute outfit she has on now. Right, Okabe-san?"

"Ah, certainly."

"I might have to end you, _woman_."

"Let me finish this dinner first."

Scowling towards an unfazed Makise, Maho then exhaled, and stuffed a new scoop of curry into her mouth.

"...Anyways, Maho and I visited several places around the station's mall. Very interesting place."

"The train station is remarkably all-inclusive. One could practically shop and subsist there for a lifetime."

"After that, we went to Hya-Kun-something. Bar number one."

"The first of many?"

"Just two. After that was the eighty-two ale house place."

"Wandering imbibements."

"A little bit. In America we call it bar-hopping."

"Nice. After that?"

"We decided to abduct you. Maho informed me that you return from college around five-thirty to six in the evening, so we waited a little while."

"Ah. That mystery is solved."

"And now we're here, demolishing this goodness."

"Truth be told, Go-Go Curry is a legendary establishment, tucked away here in Akiba."

"Did you happen to take Maho here back in January?"

Blinking, and then meeting Maho's verdant eyes as they rose up towards him again, both of them exchanged similarly negative shakes of their heads.

"I don't believe so. Other places, but not here."

"Aww. Well, you're both here now at least."

"We are indeed." ... _And no doubt we'll be visiting other locations throughout the week. I'm almost certain this evening is going to be the first of several outings._

Distracted by visible fondness in the other's eyes, both computer scientist's hands remained still around their utensils, smiles bashfully sneaking onto their lips.

_You just wait, Okabe. I want to go to all sorts of places by your side this week... Take you by the hand, and see if some magic can happen while I'm here again._

"Ooh, I almost forgot to ask. You're majoring in... Computer science, right?"

Eyes distractedly flitting towards Makise just beyond, Okabe offered a nod of affirmation.

"Working on my bachelors for it, yes."

"Maho's talked up and down about your schooling, you know. I think she really likes your dedication to it."

Seeing Maho roll her eyes out of her friend's sight, Okabe's brow quirked with ongoing humor.

"She's told me so, yes. She's also told me of the cost disparities between here and the states."

"Oh, hah, yeah. Student loans and tuition are insane in America."

"Would studying abroad be cheaper?"

"Maybe. Would depend on where you go."

Peeking towards Maho, seeing her expression perk with a mysterious flash of interest, Okabe hesitantly nodded again.

"...Right, yes."

"Or you could have outside funding."

"Mmm, not everyone has such a luxury, senpai."

"Not sure why you're saying that, scholarshipper."

"Hey now, I was speaking more for Okabe there."

"Actually... Attending Tokyo Denki has been reasonably affordable."

"For your parents."

Shrugging in an easy dismissal of the comment, Okabe drug his utensil through the puddle of sauce on his platter.

"They wanted me to attend and better my future, so they're perfectly willing to pay for it."

"That's good."

"Plus he's the favorite pupil of his class, which is why he ended up at the expo."

"Yeah?"

"My professor Izaki keeps in touch with mister Leskinen, supposedly."

"Mmm. Small world."

"Small until you have an ocean to cross."

Exhaling silently from her nose, Maho stared at her nearly-empty platter of dinner.

_That darn ocean... Funny that you mentioned studying abroad, Okabe._

Retreiving a glass of water, and downing several gulps, she pushed the cup along the etched countertop, leaving a trail of condensation behind.

_It just so happens that I kinda want to look into doing exactly that. Well, not really studying though... More like living here. We'll see. Have to look into what it would take to transfer, and I don't even want to think about that until this week is over._

Tingling with uncertainty, her locks of dark hair shifted as she peeked back up towards the male college student seated beside herself.

_Got more important matters to address for now... With this heart of mine._

* * *

**Chuo-Dori, Chiyoda Ward, Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:04p.m.**

Navigating among a thick crowd of local and foreign party-goers and dozens of their held drinks, occupying the interior of a noisily packed nightclub, Okabe forged a precise path through the passerby in the dark open room, with Maho clutching his hand and forearm just behind, brow furrowed from the inability to see her surroundings among the overwhelming volume and bass of actively-mixed music.

_Oh, to be as tall as you, Okabe. You're like a lighthouse, bright and tall and guiding my way._

Expression relaxing as he slowed slightly, head turning in an orbit of observation, his eyes displayed glinting reflections of moving and strobing lights of varying colors, additionally illuminating each other's attire through fleeting gaps between the other occupants.

_Hehee. I should remember that simile. Metaphor. Whatever it is._

"Found her."

"Yeah? Where?"

Watching his arm and index finger unfurl in a momentary point somewhere, Maho looked aside with a squint, only for her expression to flatten from the still-obscured view.

_...Right. Somewhere I can't see._

Attention flitting back over from the sudden departure of his held hand, she blinked as Okabe's soaring height vanished, only to find him kneeling down, peeking back at her.

"Hop on up."

"What, on your shoulders?"

"Sure!"

"I, _uh_ , okay!"

Shuffling over and flopping bodily onto his backside, her arms curled around the breadth of his upper shoulders, hands clasping together in front of his collar.

_Alright, not like we haven't hugged and stuff already soooookay up we go!_

Eyes widening as the floor vanished beneath her feet, her face instantly broadened into a smile as a marvelously taller view spread out before her. Then with a momentary adjustment of posture, Okabe's hands gently gripped her slender lower legs, granting Maho a secure position on his shoulders.

"You alright with holding me up like this?"

"Well you're not heavy by any means, so, yes."

Nose wrinkling from the harmless remark, both of them turned in place as Okabe resumed the search for an ever-moving red-haired young woman, dancing somewhere beyond.

"Did you lose track of her?"

"For the moment, yes."

"I'll help look, mkay?"

"That was the plan with bringing you up here."

"Oh, besides having my cute butt up on your shoulders?"

Grinning as Okabe's head turned with a comical expression on his face, Maho then nuzzled his neck with her nose, discreetly taking in his masculine scent.

"Believe it or not, Okabe-san, us ladies know these sorts of things that guys do."

"I have no doubt whatsoever."

"Oh, I'm... There she is!"

"Hm? Where?"

Thrusting her arm out towards the glimpse of whirling red hair and shuffling layers of light spring clothing, Okabe began in a semi-direct heading towards the target, with Maho's smile increasing massively as surrounding occupants and passerby moved aside in a spread from Okabe's towering stride.

 _Oh my god this is hilariously awesome. He's like a train plowing through everyone! I need to be perched up here more often. Astride the sky-high shoulders of an Okabe-san and_... "Wow, she's dancing her ass off!"

"I'll say!"

Drawing to a halt among conversation and commotion, nearly drowned out by the music blasting from nearby speakers, both Maho and Okabe appeared on the edges of a circle surrounding an energetic Makise, strutting and spinning and making a variety of passionate motions and thrusts with her arms and bosom. Watching with matching fascination, both computer scientists remained smiling from the ongoing spectacle drawing the attention of numerous onlookers.

"Have you... Seen her do this?"

"A few times. I don't dance like that, if you're wondering."

"Oh. Then how do you dance?"

"Eheh, actually, I... Don't."

"No?"

Pressing her mouth down into the muscle of Okabe's neck, Maho's cheeks darkened, unseen.

"...Its just not my thing, is all."

"Ah. I didn't expect it to be hers, but people are surprising."

"Yeah. She's a party machine. Sure doesn't seem like it a first glance, but when she's not cooped up in our laboratory back at the university... She loves to be out and about."

"A socialite."

"Yeah. I'm not one."

"Me neither."

"And yet we're here anyway."

"Life has its ways with things, doesn't it?"

Vision flitting towards the glint of Okabe's eye, her heart beat from a different interpretation of his statement.

_Yeah. Sure does. Like everything going on with you and I._

Looking down as Makise appeared in front of them in a twisting motion, her violet eyes rose upward, only to suddenly realize the presence of Maho and Okabe watching her together. Slowing her free-styled dancing motions to a halt, cheeks flushed with what initially appeared to be embarrassment, Kurisu suddenly burst into laughter, doubling over and propping her arm on her knee.

"Oh my... Maho, you're... You two are adorable!"

Rising upward, and perching her hands on her hips, a giggle persisted among Makise's shaking chest, from the trifecta of amusement shared between them.

"I had to be able to see somehow!"

"So you're on his shoulders!"

"Yes, and now I have the best vantage point in here, genius!"

"I just can't believe you haven't done that sooner!"

"As it happens, it was Okabe's idea!"

Vision lowering down to his promptly offered nod, Kurisu discreetly winked, seeing his eyebrows rise in response.

"You two should find a place to settle and hang out! You don't have to be on the dance floor the whole time, you know?"

"True, however, such a decision is hers to make."

Chin rising and peeking up towards Maho, cheek tickled by a wayward lock of her bushy mane draped onto his shoulder, Okabe waited patiently as her slender shoulders rose in a shrug.

"As long as you don't mind us being somewhere else for a bit...!"

"Go for it! I'll be here." _And while you're out wherever... You should find that magic you were talking about, senpai._

Eying Maho pointedly, and seeing her best friend's eyes discreetly dilate, lips parting in a tiny nod of understanding, Makise then stepped back, and with a turn, began right back into her prior dancing motions, waving towards the pair with a momentarily-outstretched hand. Turning her lips towards Okabe's ear, the tip of Maho's nose touched gently against a fold of cartilage, causing his neck hair to stand on end.

"Let's see what's upstairs. That patio we saw, maybe?"

"Right, yes."

Head tilting back, and watching Makise in an ongoing turn as Okabe revolved in a complete one-eighty, Maho exhaled in a giggle of her own as Kurisu pointed her finger towards them, mouthing something indiscernible as they drew apart.

_Yeah yeah, working on it, party girl._

Exhaling from the sudden drop in audio volume as they turned around a wall, rising up in a series of upward bounces from each step of a stairwell, Maho eyed the young man she was astride beneath the warm safety lights of the passage.

_These things take timing and patience and... Well... Seeing what happens, really._

* * *

Seated on one of several benches on the upper patio of the nightclub, with the muffled echoes of modern Japanese music playing in an outward wander towards the bright neon lights and screens of Akihabara, both Maho and Okabe sat quietly, a variety of fleeting thoughts coming and going, and hearts beating from their shared presence in a crowded, unfamiliar setting.

_Honestly, I'm surprised you're here at a place like this. But I guess I'm here too, aren't I?_

Eyes meeting at the end of individual turns towards the other, an ongoing palette of color slowly changed and faded, projecting from a lengthy light strip mounted beneath the patio's awning. Continuously altering the mood of the area, painting their skin and clothes with temporary, mysterious shades of visible wavelengths, both computer scientists absorbed an endless amount of visual data emanating from each other.

_You look amazing right now._

The corner of Maho's mouth perked upward, followed immediately by a rise of Okabe's eyebrow, and singular laughs left their insides in tandem.

_What are you thinking about?_

Legs shifting in temporary adjustment, alleviating a bout of cross-legged stiffness, a humorous realization of parallel movements was slowly realized, warming cheeks and necks that were thankfully hidden by the changing colors.

_Me, obviously, with the way you're just locked on right now. But aside from that..._

Chins rising and lowering, aligning their gaze even closer, the reflective twinkle of light on their irides maintained a inescapable grip on their attention.

_All we've literally done is wander up here and sit down, and its been probably, what, five minutes?_

Head tilting, a breath wandered from Maho's elfin nose, and one appeared to draw into Okabe's lungs, lifting his shoulders slightly.

_Five minutes, and I think I should probably -_

Eyes widening as Okabe bodily turned, suddenly closing the distance between them, his arm rose and his palm tucked gently against her cheek, fingertips brushing beneath a tuft of hair. Then, among a rampant spread of warmth, his nose tucked up against hers, and her eyelids slammed shut in a spike of exhilaration as his lips pushed into her own, beginning a thoroughly anticipated moment.

_...Never mind. Mister magic just struck first and, hahaah, woowww._

Legs unfolding, and her body turning to match, their lips teasingly pulled apart far too soon, allowing another moment of gentle laughter to escape, followed by the exchange of breath beneath their nuzzling noses.

_Come back here, you._

Eyes remaining shut among their low-lit proximity, she nudged closer, and Okabe sank lower, nudging her brow back slightly. After an unseen flash of teeth among fleeting smiles, their lips readily reconnected, capturing the folds of each other's mouths in playful back-and-forth tugs, with the cautious introduction of tongues occurring only seconds later. Lifting her knuckles along Okabe's shirt in a drift along his chest, her palm then expanded and settled onto his shoulder, gripping him in a clearly intended capture as they made out for a lengthy, unknown duration.

_Funny to think I've dreamt about this, and... Hehee. Here we are at last. Just had to cross a pesky ocean for a little while._

Thumb drifting along the ridge of his collarbone, prying at the hem of his shirt collar, her lips remained busy, and her mind wandered freely through a fuzzy cloud of elation.

_Cross an ocean to kiss an Okabe... My Japanese man of mystery, and magic._

Allowing a passive breath to leave her nose, another drew in to replace it in respiratory exchange, and a short while later, their intimate oral motions began to decelerate.

_I hope you're as happy as I am right now._

Eyelids cautiously rising, and lips drifting apart in a relaxation of facial muscle, a distinct fade of red into green was cast onto both of their faces, and their hearts remained beating with lingering vestiges of earlier passion.

_I know you are. All I have to do is look at those eyes of yours, and..._

Rising along his face, entering the shiny realm of his hazel irides, dorky, bashful grins split both of their mouths below in an expected manner.

_Yep! Called it._

"Maho, ah..."

"Mmm, yes?"

Expressions settling, unfettered admiration bloomed proudly within their chests.

"That was, _well_ , amazing."

"Yeah."

Settling aside on the bench, remaining in closer facial proximity, their vocal volume remained in a near-whisper.

"Been a little while."

"Been a little too long, if you ask me."

"You think so?"

"Do you?"

"Ah, well, of course."

"I don't know about you... But I've thought about when we kissed on our date, many times now."

"As have I."

"I'm sure you have, mister daydreamer."

Chuckling among red-cheeked admittance, Okabe's chin rose slightly.

"I won't deny it."

"Neither will I. I was kinda hoping you'd be up for this while I was here."

"What, kissing?"

"And whatever else."

"Of course. I-I mean..."

"I know exactly what you mean."

Chest expanding, and then settling, Okabe watched with interest as Maho scooted herself closer on the bench, nesting against him in a lean that was swiftly matched by his own. Lowering his arm from the back of the bench to her shoulders, Maho happily tucked her head back against his limb, enveloping it with the dark mass of her hair, and hums of content amusement wandered into the air between them. A moment's pause later, however, she leaned closer, and his chin promptly sank to a gentle rest on top of her head, fingers pushing together between their legs just below.

"Oh."

"Hm?"

"Kinda left field, but... I remembered I wanted to tell you about something earlier."

Cautiously tilting in an upward peek beneath his chin, her brow quirked, and her knuckles rubbed against his in a shift of her fingers.

"Yeah? What sort of something?"

"My operating system finally received a name."

Blinking repeatedly from the errant topic, her lips parted with a curl of a smile.

 _You goof._ "Really?"

"Thanks to you, mostly."

"Huh. What is it?"

Waiting as he remained silent, her vision wandered past the patio's railing, to the lights of the city beyond.

"Symphony."

"Oooh."

"A play of sorts on your masterpiece. _Composition_ , right?"

"Mmmhm, that's it, but its hardly a masterpiece."

"Nonsense. Magnificent work by a magnificent woman."

Blushing darker, a giggle shook her bosom as it escaped.

"Ohh, you and your... Nice-ness."

"Someone needs to have it."

"Psshhh, yeah. I adore your nice-ness, you big cute nerd."

"Says the petite emerald-eyed nerd herself."

"Yeah. Nerds of a feather, right?"

"Yes. Certainly."

Buzzing with woozy emotion, her brow lowered, allowing her vision to lose focus on the steel railing ahead.

"I was thinking earlier about how we're in a place we'd probably never go normally."

"Oh? You mean this club?"

"Yeah."

"You do go to places like this with Kurisu in America, I assume."

"I have, not very often though."

"Hmm."

"Honestly... I only let her drag me to outings now and then, because there's times I feel like I'm missing out on some sense of human socialization."

"I hear that."

"It typically takes one wild night though, and I'm good for a while."

"Agreed."

"Is that weird?"

"Not at all. Us computer-inclined types don't always need a social life to be content with things."

"Hmm. I mean, I'm not a shut-in hermit by any means but..."

"But, you don't feel a need to be part of a scene, or whatever they call it."

"Yeah. That's what's nice about that lab of yours, Okabe. Nobody needs to be fit in or be inebriated, to have fun and be comfortable."

"That's exactly the intent of the place."

"Other than hosting your cluster monster."

Flashing a cheeky smile as an expected chuckle met her ears, her fingers tightened between his in a squeeze.

"Yes. That too."

Allowing the conversation to fade, both of them remained in a comforting cuddle together.

_We really are nerds of a feather, aren't we?_

Eyelids drooping shut among the fading swaths of dim colored light, a peaceful breath danced from her nose.

_Yeah. Definitely._

* * *

**May 1st, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 11:41p.m.**

Leading the way along the peace and quiet of a city sidewalk, slowly plodding along the side of Chuo-Dori with arms outstretched, Maho towed a fading and not-entirely-sober Kurisu along on her left, and kept Okabe's walking speed matched with her own on her right.

_This is probably an odd picture. Just like all the other weird exploits that I've gotten into with Makise... Heh._

Panning across their illuminated street-side surroundings, with only occasional vehicle traffic and a spare few pedestrians visible in places, her eyes then rose towards the dull glow of Tokyo's lights against the night sky.

_Not as bad as L-A... But still not my kind of starry night. Maybe one day..._

Drifting back down to Okabe beside her, different features of his face were revealed, defined, and then hidden by their slow passing of streetlights.

_...One day, we'll find my kind of night sky. So you can see what you've been missing out on, Okabe-san._

"This place, right?"

Drifting along his rising arm, and then following the direction of his pointing index finger, Maho blinked in realization of an unexpectedly swift arrival at her hotel.

"Oh. Yeah. This is it."

"Not the same one as last time?"

"Budget constraints, unfortunately."

"Oh."

"Its nice enough anyway, and that's all that matters."

"Certainly."

Rotating in a gradual turn into the front courtyard, and then beneath the roof of the entrance's portico, the brightly illuminated interior ahead brought her eyes into a squint of adjustment. Watching then as Okabe's pace quickened, he reached forward, only for the door to slide open on its own, leaving his arm with nothing to do but droop back down to his side in mild embarrassment.

"Ah, _huh_."

Quietly giggling, mirth spread across Maho's face from the sight.

"You big goof."

"Your prior hotel had manual doors, so I made an assumption."

"Its alright. I know I've pushed on a pull door before."

Shaking his head slightly from Maho's remark, their vision alighted upon the front check-in desk of the hotel's lobby, and after watching the shimmer of flowing water from a nearby fountain, Maho turned bodily toward Okabe, gazing up at him and gathering his full attention once more.

"Anyway... I'm pretty sure I'm going to be tasked with guiding this one to her room. Other than that, though... Thank you for coming along with us earlier."

Lowering his head in a bow, a smile appearing with it, he exhaled.

"Of course."

"Was definitely an interesting adventure."

"I enjoyed it, honestly."

Heart beating with elation, a great breath filled Maho's lungs.

_Good. Cause I enjoyed every second of being beside you._

"I'm sure we've kept you up kinda late, and you have class tomorrow, so..."

Bringing his hand closer, nuzzling his folded digits with the tip of her nose, she then pressed a kiss between two of his fingers, allowing their hands to lower, and then slip apart, slowly brought back to their sides.

"...I'll see you tomorrow, maybe?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Tilting aside, allowing her locks of hair to drift along her face, her eyelids lowered in a continuing tease.

"Goodnight, Okabe."

"Goodnight, _Maho_."

Grinning from her name spoken in his voice, she looked aside to a cheekily smiling, droopy-eyed Kurisu, and then brought her back into motion, resisting the impulse to look over her shoulder.

"Unngh."

"Red-head needs her bed, huh?"

"Yeeaaahhhh..."

Quietly snorting, Maho reached forward and prodded the up button of an elevator control panel, pleasantly surprised by the quick opening of the doors next to it.

"Almost there, party girl."

"Mmmmkay."

Stepping inside and revolving in place, allowing Kurisu to lean in a rest against the elevator car, she tapped the button for their floor. Blinking from the following pause, her vision flitted over in a fleeting moment between the closing doors, glancing out to the lobby and spotting the tall, slender profile of Okabe in the distance.

_Yeah. Definitely want to see you tomorrow. Especially if there's gonna be more kisses like earlier._

"Sennnnpaaiii."

Looking aside to Makise, finding her tired violet eyes focused on her as the car rose up through the shaft, Maho's mouth opened, only for her best friend to burst into a fit of giggles.

_Still have liquor sloshing around in your brainlobes, I see._

"You and him, holding hands, is pretty cute."

"Yeah?"

"Mmmhm!"

"Glad you think so."

"Did you get a kiss?"

Looking away from the question, hiding the beginnings of a blush, Maho took a step forward as the car halted its ascent, and the doors split open again.

"I'll, uh, tell you tomorrow morning."

"Aww. Okay."

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 00:13a.m.**

Rubbing his drowsy eyes, and flopping onto the length of his apartment's old green couch, Okabe stretched his limbs, allowing his eyelids to shut out the already-dark roof of his silent city abode.

_What a night. To think I got yanked into it so unexpectedly... And went along so willingly._

Imaging himself being led along by the hand, with Maho marching along in front of him, happy as can be, a breath of amusement left his nose.

_Guess that's the charm of American college girls. Always up for a party, or something. Actually... I think the charm of miss Hiyajo is what led me along on this soirée._

Processing a fresh gallery of imagery from the previous hours of the evening, dotted with sparkling green-eyed gazes, endless smiles and laughter, and the intimate whirl of colliding, moist lips, his eyebrows rose above still-closed eyelids.

_All things considered... The interruption in routine was certainly worth... Hm?_

Briefly startled by the vibration of the smartphone still in his shorts pocket, he fished the device out and his eye peeked open as he unlocked the screen.

_Four new messages...?_

Browsing the inbox with several taps, discovering three of the four were an amusing continuation of womanly advice from Mayuri, he then found a concise, sweetly worded text from Maho, having just arrived seconds earlier.

_'Thank you, Okabe, for making this day end with the kind of magic only you seem to have. *^_^* Hope you have a nice snooze, and a wonderful day at TDU tomorrow.'_

Humming with ongoing fondness, his thumb began tapping a reply.

_'I believe the real magician here is you, Hiyajo-san. Magicking your way back here to Japan, and so easily picking up where we left off.'_

Eyes closing after sending, listening to the ticking of the wall clock just above, a breath left his nose as his hand vibrated again.

_'Still awake I see. :P I was wondering how you would feel about a kiss or two. Or a few.'_

_'Likewise. Hence why I moved first to find out.'_

_'Hehee, that's awesome. Brace yourself for more.'_

_'I'll be ready.'_

_'Hope so. ^_^ Get some sleep!'_

_'If you insist.'_

_'I do. :3 Good night...!'_

_'Night.'_

Exhaling from the late hour correspondence, and waiting for a moment for any additional messages, his thumb finally pressed on a side button to shut off the screen.

_Right. Now that communications are up to date, and I have five hours left until the alarm..._

Setting the crimson device face down onto the adjacent coffee table, he rolled back towards the couch, pressing his cheek into the cushion.

_...Need to sleep._


	17. 10001

**Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:28a.m.**

Seated in the open lobby of their hotel, a stone's throw from the cafe that produced her bagel-and-coffee breakfast, Makise Kurisu eyed the brilliant glass eyes of Tucker Tux, with the plushie cat keeping a silent watch on the platter of pancakes that was steadily cut and devoured by Maho across the table.

"I don't think I've ever seen you consume so many of those in a two-day time span."

"Hm? Oh, these? Yeah."

"Satiating an emerging flapjack fix?"

"Heck yes. Batter, butter, syrup, loving it all."

Eyelids settling with growing amusement, Kurisu's fork rose level, pointing towards the fuzzy feline on the table.

"Better make sure your kitty doesn't take a swipe at your plate there."

"Oh, he knows better."

"Hope so. He looks real interested."

Eyes slowly meeting, Maho's mouth curled into a hint of a smirk.

"How are you feeling, party girl?"

"Fine. Managed to take painkillers with water last night before collapsing into the sheets."

"Ah. So you _can_ survive on your own."

"Yep. As much as you don't believe it, senpai, I can."

"Yeah, well, I still had to lead you back here by the hand so you wouldn't get lost."

"Mmm, and I saw you lead your boyfriend by the hand too."

Lips parting to reply, Maho's head tilted aside instead, allowing the initial protest to fade.

"Maybe I did."

"I know you did, and it was super cute."

"Yeah... _Yeah_."

Eyes wandering, settling on the black and white patches of fur of the feline plush, her fingers rubbed back and forth on the handle of the fork in her grasp.

_It sure was cute. I don't think he's ever had someone lead him around like that. Clearly he was fine with it..._

Lips pursing with the hint of a bashful blush, she eyed the petite toes of the plushie's feet.

_...Clearly. That, and those amazing kisses we had on the balcony._

"Maho."

_Finally got that magic I was looking for. Made out with an Okabe-san... I wanna do that ag-_

"Maho!"

"Huh?"

Jerking towards Makise's violet eyes again, she hesitantly evaluated the grin visible on her friend's face.

"...Something's got you blushing. What happened?"

"Um, what, as far as last night?"

"You tell me. Did you make any progress?"

Unable to resist a spread of mirth on her cheeks, Maho sat back in her chair.

"Maybe."

"Grr. You and your incessant ambiguity."

"Your AI twin complains of the same thing."

"I'm sure she does. What happened with you and Okabe-san?"

"Well... Remember when we talked about kisses yesterday?"

"Vaguely."

"Well... I got myself a few last night, while you were busy dancing."

"Oooohh Maho, that's exciting! About time you two locked lips again, honestly."

"I, uh, well... Yeah."

"You've talked up and down about wanting to kiss him again."

"Oh... Shush. Maybe."

"So you finally went for it when the time was right."

"It sure was. He moved first, actually."

"Ohoo, that's sexy. He wanted your little lady lips as much as you wanted his."

Shrinking back, with a firestorm of a blush engulfing her neck, cheek and ears, Maho's mouth opened, only for queued speech to devolve into embarrassed laughter.

"Y-Yeah. We were sitting on the patio thing upstairs, and..."

"And you two made out with unbridled passion."

"Kind of. Not unbridled, but he definitely got the heart going."

"Was it fun?"

"Hell yes it was."

"You know, I'm not sure if I've already asked, but when _was_ the first time you two kissed?"

"Oh, um, I didn't tell you?"

"I don't believe so. Was it on the date?"

"It wasn't."

"Sometime before?"

"In the lab, back in January."

Setting the remaining half of her bagel down after a bite, Makise sat, chewing and patiently waiting for Maho to continue.

"...We, _um_ , were watching funny videos in the lab, on his computer. Then the video ended, it was quiet, and it just kinda happened."

"Yeah?"

Bashfully shrugging and nodding, Maho prodded the partially cut stack of pancakes on her plate with her utensil.

"I was snuggled against his shoulder, and then kinda got up face to face with him, and... Hehee, somehow he was ready. Kind of."

Snorting from Maho's giggle, and then laughing from her dainty sigh that followed, Kurisu's brow rose as Maho's eyes bashfully met her own again.

"...He did pretty good for a quiet computer nerd."

"The quiet ones are the secret romantics, Maho."

"Apparently. Later that week, we made out a few times before I left... Sure as hell missed that later on."

"I know. You spoke of it enough."

"That's... I couldn't help it, okay?"

"You missed him, and obviously he missed you. So now you're both happy and together."

"Not quite together, but... I dunno."

"Who says you aren't? Its not like you have to make some cliché declaration about it."

"I know."

"You're around each other every day, laughing and smiling, and your heart beats fast when he looks at you, and you're holding his hand and kissing him..."

"Yes." _All of the above. Maybe more, someday, but... Yes._

"...That sounds like you're together to me."

"I suppose."

"But, its up to you in the end, Maho. Do you consider yourselves together?"

"I'd have to ask him how he feels."

"Good point. Takes two to be a pair."

"...At the right time, though."

"Then ask whenever you feel its right. Clearly you figured out the right time to get some smooches."

Smiling dreamily, Maho then forced her knife down into the batter flesh of her pancake breakfast.

"Sure did."

"Anyway... Keep me up to date on these ongoing developments of yours, alright?"

"Aye aye, captain."

"Your overseas romance is too cute to keep in the dark."

"Wow. Okay."

"I'm serious! You've got people from all sides rooting for you, you know."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mayuri is all for you going after Okabe-san, in case you weren't aware."

"Really?" _That's... Surprising._

"Yes, she is."

"Well, regardless, this sort of thing takes time and patience."

"Nobody's rushing you... But you only have until the end of this week."

 _Ugh, why must you remind me._.. "I know."

"So be sure to make it count, alright?"

Shaking her head slightly, Maho speared a mass of pancake wedges with her fork.

"Working on it."

* * *

**Akihabara Station, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 11:52a.m.**

Moving in tandem through one of the hallways of the train station's mall complex, both Maho and Makise gazed left and right at a multitudinous variety of storefronts and window displays in exploratory passing.

_You really could just buy everything you'd ever need here... Some kind of railroad-based miniature arcology, without living spaces. If this place had apartments, it'd be the ultimate train station._

Walking past a slowly changing array of advertisements displayed across several screens, Maho's footfall slowed from the sight of star constellations behind a series of Japanese characters and English words, fully drawing her attention to the side and applying the brakes on her feet.

_Whats... Oh. Ooohh wow, that looks neat, actually._

"See something you like?"

Staying put as Makise drifted back over beside her, Maho's chin rose in ongoing contemplation.

"I can't even remember the last time I've been to a legitimate planetarium."

"How far away is it?"

"Not sure. Would have to look it up."

Withdrawing her phone from the handbag against her hip in an automatic motion, swiftly bringing up a map application, her thumb tapped several times in different places on the screen, and after a suspenseful moment, her expression illuminated.

"Looks like... Thirty-five minutes by train, from here."

"That's not too far."

"Yeah. Kinda thinking about going there."

"You should."

"Are you interested in coming?"

Peeking up towards Kurisu, the younger redhead tilted her head left, and then right with a hesitant expression.

"...Can already tell that's a no."

"Its more to do with, well... A place like that might be something you should take someone special to."

"Oh, damn, I didn't even... You're right."

"Catching my drift?"

"Entirely. I'm gonna text him right now."

"Do it."

"Um, if I do end up going with him... Are you going to be okay on your own?"

"Of course I am. I've been thinking about doing some more exploring, honestly."

"Okay. Just stay out of trouble, please."

"Nope."

"Seriously?"

"You're not the only one that gets to go on adventures."

"G-Guhh, alright."

Grimacing briefly from Kurisu's resulting snicker, Maho tilted her blue and white smartphone back into view, bringing up her message inbox.

_...Anyway, onto the task at hand. Let's see what Okabe thinks about some early stargazing._

* * *

**Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 12:06p.m.**

Re-reading a message received several minutes before, freshly out of the campus' science building for lunch break, Okabe's heart beat with increasing interest as he stood on a damp concrete path.

_'Hey handsome, had an idea I wanted to run by you. Call me whenever you get around to having lunch, if you can. ^_^'_

Exhaling through his nose, humored by Maho's voice echoing the text on the screen, a breath of cool overcast air pulled into his lungs, with his thumb hovering over a button to call the contact on-screen.

_Handsome, hmm? I suppose I've called you beautiful before... Among other pleasant words._

Grunting, and shifting his weight onto his other leg, standing near a twinkling expanse of rain-soaked grass on the university's grounds, his thumb tapped on a phone symbol, beginning a call.

_Anyway, as you wish... O-pretty-petite-one._

Blinking from a fumble of noise after a short period of dial-tones, he waited patiently, standing still.

"Hello...?"

"Hello."

"Hehee... Hey, you."

Smiling from her stifled giggle and playful greeting, his vision slowly settled onto the green foliage ahead.

"How do you do, Hiyajo-san?"

"I'm quite well. Out and wandering about."

"As is expected."

"Kinda, yeah. Are you on lunch?"

"I am."

"Okay, good."

"You requested myself as an audience, so I hereby lend you an ear."

Breaking into a disjointed laugh from his statement, her dainty exhale that followed issued through the phone's speaker.

"So... I had an idea, but I also wanted to say something else first."

"Go on."

"Okay, I've kinda been feeling like... Well, the night before was a little unlike what I intended it to be."

"Oh? Were you not planning on such an outing?"

"I mean, I agreed to it but... I dunno."

"Did you have fun?"

"I did, I mean... Of course I did. Got way more fun with you around, definitely."

"Right, so what's to be so hesitant about? I had a good time."

"I... Don't know anymore. I think something in me wishes I had a little more control over things, but, it all kinda played out alright, I guess."

"Control, hmm?"

"Sort of. Just one of those things about me. I like situational security."

"As do most people, but what's a little unpredictability, right?"

"Um... Yeah, good point."

"I'm sure that hidden curiosity of releasing the reigns reasons your wild outings with Kurisu."

"Haha. Yep."

"To return to your earlier point however... You had an idea?"

"Oh. Yeah! Okay, so I kinda wanted to ask... If you'd like to go do something this evening. Just you and me this time."

Brow perking with interest, his vision rose into the distance, allowing a silent moment of suspense.

"Planning to whisk me away for another whirlwind adventure?"

"Sort of. Something more of our speed though... If you're not busy. I don't want to pull you away from the lab or anything. That's not what I'm intending by this."

"I understand, and there's no need for concern."

"No?"

"The future data laboratory will survive without my stewardship for another evening, rest assured."

"Okay. I still want you to be able to hang out with Mayuri and Daru and all, so..."

"Maho."

Listening to her delicate inhale from his direct addressing, he waited patiently for her coming response.

"...Yes?"

"You are here for this week only, correct?"

"I... I am, yes. Much as it saddens me to keep in mind."

"Then fear not for occupying my time with your presence. I can visit my humble laboratory abode on any given day. Being by your side however, is not something to let slip away carelessly."

"Ohh, you and your lexicon... Should I assume you're saying yes?"

"Of course. When and where are we to head to this evening?"

"Well... I was kinda thinking the Manten Planetarium, honestly."

Exhaling, a chuckle escaping his throat, his vision rose further into the blanket of clouds spread over the midday sky.

"In Ikebukero?"

"Ummm... Yes, there."

"I'm not surprised."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"With how fondly you speak of the starry night sky... Its hard to believe you haven't seen or suggested such a place sooner."

"Psshhh... Yeah. Guilty. Does it sound fun though?"

"Stargazing with the starry eyed verdant wonder herself? Certainly."

"You... Are such an adorable goof. So that's a yes?"

"That's a yes."

"Okay! Um, we don't have to be there for hours or anything. We could get dinner afterward somewhere too."

"Sounds like a masterful plan."

"Should I meet you there, or at the lab?"

"Ahh, well... That's a good question."

"Wait... Is there a train station near it?"

"There is, on the Yamanote line."

"Okay. Figured. Are you able to be there by five?"

"Probably a little after that."

"Five fifteen?"

"Give or take a few minutes."

"Okay. I'll easily be there by then."

"...And from there, we'll proceed towards a glorious journey across the the star-studded galaxies beyond."

"Yay! Um, now that we've got this figured out... I'll let you get back to eating. Okay?"

Sensing a hint of reluctance at the tail end of her statement, his chin turned into his shoulder, and his shoe slid along the concrete beneath.

 _Haven't even purchased lunch yet, but_... "Alright. See you soon, Maho."

"Seeya... Okabe."

Humming from the lingering desire in her voice, punctuated by the click of the call disconnecting, his red smartphone lowered from his ear and was shoved into his pocket shortly afterward.

_Right. Appears we've got another date set. Slightly unexpected, and yet... A marvelous development all the same. I almost can't wait!_

Turning and heading back in a different direction, he began heading towards the campus' food court, quickening his pace.

_Just have another round of class to sit through first... Blast. These next four hours are going to drag on with all the haste of a weary snail._

* * *

**Don Quijote, Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan; 2:23p.m.**

Perusing through the bottom floor of a large multi-faceted store, not entirely sure where to begin or what to look for as she took in her colorful, busy surroundings, Makise exhaled, her walking pace continuing to slow.

_Let's see..._

Looking aside at one particular storefront, and with a single step towards its shelving, her phone vibrated in her shorts pocket, and she distractedly retrieved the device, halting her footfall.

_'Okay, so we are definitely heading to the planetarium in a few hours. Really excited!'_

Humming from the inbound text from Maho, her thumb went to work on the virtual keypad.

_'Nicely done! \\(^-^)/ Have an awesomely nerdy time with your boo!'_

Sending the message, her eyes flitted upward to the display, and she knelt down, noticing an item of interest, only for her phone to vibrate in her palm.

_'Boo? Shush you American slang slinger.'_

_'Nope! :3 Okabe is your boo and you know it.'_

_'*^_^* Maybe'_

Slipping her phone into her pocket with a firm shove of her thumb, Makise's vision rose to a shelf at eye-level, only to discreetly realize the presence of someone else standing beside her, as a hint of a sweet unknown aroma met her nose.

_Huh._

Rising upright, and turning to inspect whoever stood beside her, she then found herself following coiled spirals of pink hair up to a set of cat ears, and then settling onto startlingly magnificent crimson eyes, decorated by lengthy, innocently batting eyelashes.

_Oh... My._

Finally noticing the patient smile on the face of a young woman of shorter stature, looking for all the world like a petite glamour model, Kurisu's lips parted with disbelief at the person standing before her.

"H-Hello."

"Good afternoon, wayward traveler."

Blinking from the cutesy voice to match, Makise's mouth curled into a laugh-laden smile.

"...How did you know I'm a tourist?"

"Ohh, Faris knows all of Akiba's local faces, so she can tell when there are visitors from far lands."

"I see."

"Also, your lovely chestnut hair gives you away anyway, nyahaha."

Bashfully brushing a lock back past her shoulder, Kurisu's eyes wandered aside.

 _Seriously...? Did she just_... "Um, so, you're obviously a local resident."

"Mmmhm! Faris has called Akihabara her homeland for many years now. She welcomes all who wish to see and enjoy the magic we craft here."

"I can certainly understand... I too have been drawn out to the sights and shops, after all."

" _Nya!_ Shopping is an activity nearly impossible to resist. Trust me!"

"Oh, I'm just browsing for now, actually."

"Mmmm, Faris loves perusing her paws through the bountiful treasures of Akiba as much as anykitty. Mind if I join you...?"

Smiling from the offer, realizing the potential for otherwise hidden bargains, Kurisu then offered a friendly nod.

"I don't mind at all."

"Meow! In that case, follow me, Chestnut Traveler!"

"Ah, um, okay!"

Turning and accompanying the mysterious pink-haired model, Kurisu continued blinking as they wandered further into the store, her twin-tails swaying behind the folds and fabrics of her elegant attire from her sashay.

"See, everyone goes for the big familiar names, but there's plenty to be seen that's offered by the smaller and lesser known, too."

"I'm... I don't doubt it."

"The real treasures are those that aren't mass produced. Rarity and uniquity are what Faris loves to search for, and she can tell that's what you seek too!"

"Well... Maybe." _God, now I sound like Maho!  
_

"Nyahaha, you'll seen soon enough...!"

Keeping pace with the young woman, Kurisu's expression cracked into an increasing smile among a subdued giggle.

_Sorry, senpai, looks like I'm already going on an adventure... With someone I've never met before!_

* * *

**Kasensou Private Preparatory Academy, Tokyo; 3:36p.m.**

Leaning against the trunk of a planted deciduous tree, a short distance from the front entrance of her school, Mayuri's thumb tapped on the small keyboard of her cell phone, slid out beneath the device's screen. Taking in a breath as a wandering ozone-laden breeze playfully ruffled her short dark hair and brushed across the folded hems of her uniform's skirt and dress shirt, thoughts of an upcoming supper wandered across her mind.

_Juicy chicken... And maybe some Obento. Oh, and Doctor P! Sounds like a meal Okarin would love. He wouldn't be able to resist. Maybe if he asks nicely, I'll let him have some._

Attention returning to her phone in a start as it vibrated heavily in her palm, an alert for a new message appeared on the screen.

_Speaking of Okarin..._

_'Hey May, just letting you know that I will be partaking in an outing with Maho soon, and will return to the lab at an uncertain time, though not as late as the night before. Daru already knows as well. Please feel free to have anything from the ration stash in the meantime.'_

_Oh? An outing with Maho, hmm? And if they're both coming back late... Ooh, they must have arranged another date!_

Tapping on several keys to form a reply, her thumbs came together on the miniature keyboard in a fury of button presses.

_'Mayushii is glad Okarin is getting his date face on. =) Go get miss Maho you big tall goofball!'_

Sending the reply, and sliding the device closed, with the screen rotating itself before turning off, she then dropped the stubby phone into her school bag, an exhale leaving her nose in a lengthy hum.

_Hmmm... I wonder if miss Makise knows about this... I should get get her number the next time she visits. Mayushii has a lot to discuss with her romance comrade-in-arms!_

* * *

**JR Ikebukuro Station, Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo; 5:21p.m.**

Passing through the main entrance of the train station, seated beneath a large complex of commercial buildings flanking Meiji-Dori avenue, a broad expanse of patterned tiles stretched left and right, narrowing Okabe's eyes in a squint from glinting rain-soaked reflections as he entered the open air again.

_Right. Back home in Ikebukero, and yet... I'm not actually heading home this evening._

Vision lowering from the endless concrete, steel and glass surrounding the city streets, the familiar shape of a square roofed shelter stood alone between the avenue's lanes, standing guard over a pair of underground stairs. Searching among his closer surroundings as his heading drifted to the right of the stubby structure, crossing empty striped pavement, his eyes widened in surprise as the petite, slender profile of Maho stepped around the shelter, suddenly appearing before him with a downward gaze towards the phone in her palm.

_Good heavens, she's..._

Not sure whether to lift his hands from his pants pockets, his footfall faltered, only to press onward in suspenseful approach. Head tilting aside, a smile began tucking up along his cheek as she drew to a slow halt, completely unaware that they were a spare few meters apart.

_...Distracted._

Arms crossing, smile blossoming as she ironically looked in the opposite direction, his neck grew warm from the sight of her dark hair swaying behind her shoulders, bound in a great ponytail by a large white bow. Irides widening and wandering in a discreet study of her figure, shrouded in the innocent off-white fabric of a loose fitting shirt, draping freely over the folds of a lengthy ocean-blue skirt, her attire teasingly rippled as a cool breeze drifted around them.

_Distracted and lovely._

Waiting as her head turned, a startled breath exited her lungs from suddenly noticing his presence, and as their eyes met, Maho's lips parted into an instant grin, realizing the college student's brow was sky high as she turned to face him. Waiting for words to leave his mouth, an expression of mischief perking with a teasing rise of her eyebrow, hesitant footsteps brought both of them into motion instead, and a giggle replaced the otherwise absent greetings as they promptly collided together, arms folding around his sides and her shoulders in a tight embrace.

_To think I'm actually leaving him speechless... Me! Messy, nerdy Maho... Heeheee this boy is amazing and sooo huggable...!_

Nuzzling the button-lined fabric of his collared shirt, twisting side to side eagerly, her umbrella bounced against his hip as it hung freely from her elbow.

"Afternoon."

"Or evening. Or both, _right?_ "

Peeking up at him, seeing his gentle hazel eyes sink towards hers in a magnetic reunite, humored breath left both of their noses one after the other.

"Right."

"How was the train trip?"

"Fine. Quite used to heading out this way so it was standard fare."

"Good. Not too long?"

"Not at all."

Trading a series of bashful, goofy expressions, Maho then drew back from the embrace, reaffirming the strap of her handbag on her shoulder.

"So, um... I looked at the map earlier, but I have a feeling you already know the way... Don't you?"

"For the most part. Its been several years since I've actually been to the complex, but I've been in the downtown area many times."

"Oh, hmm. You said you live out here, right?"

Arm arching upward, his finger turned and pointed in an outward compass-like direction.

"Grew up out in yonder neighborhood, several clicks that way."

Standing up on her toes, only to settle flat on the soles again, her shoulders rose, and then relaxed in a jostle of her handbag.

"Okay. Which way should we go?"

Watching with amusement as his chin rose higher, peering over the countless rooftops beyond with the figurative height of a great lighthouse, she watched the movement of his searching eyes, with his arm rising in another outward point seconds later.

"That way. Towards the trees. We'll follow the avenue, and then head east until we reach Central Park."

"Central Park?"

"Yes. Near a rather tall building. Several actually."

"Yeah?"

"You'll see what I mean when we get closer."

Toes curling within her black sneakers as his arm extended towards her, turning over in an offering of an open palm, her cheeks tinted pink as her own digits unfurled, coming to rest atop the undulations of his palm.

"Okay."

Turning into motion, coupled together by hand, their arms hung lazily between them, swaying slowly as they began across the opposite lane in a broad right-hand turn.

"Beyond said structure of soaring altitude and floor counts, is the Sunshine City complex, to which your planetarium resides."

"There's no sunshine in this city right now."

"Alas, you are correct. The forecast calls for additional rain later tonight too."

Squeezing their hands tighter, knuckles mingling between each other, tufts of her hair brushed against his bare arm.

"Not a problem."

"Not even for your tropical blood?"

"I can handle a little rain." _Especially on an evening like this... Cause goodness knows you'll just make it magical no matter what._

"Hence the umbrella, silly me."

"Do you have yours?"

"Always do. In my school bag."

Patting on the folded flap of the black satchel against his hip, Okabe's index finger rose in another temporary point forward as they rounded the open corner of a city block.

"Up this road a little ways, and then we'll be eastbound."

"Mkay."

Continuing beneath the shadow of numerous planted trees dividing the sidewalk from the pavement, an errant coastal breeze began ruffling their bright green leaves above, releasing occasional drops of water leftover from the prior rainfall. Blinking from the harmless watery greeting sprinkled onto their heads and clothing, both Maho and Okabe shared varying grunts and light laughter.

_Alright, my handsome tour guide... Bring me to the planetarium, yes, but feel free to take me wherever else... And we'll see what kind of magic we end up finding in the meantime._

* * *

Attention roving left and right among the colorful facades, with countless bilingual signs adorning the walls and windows with relentless advertising and information, Maho's mouth remained parted, letting ozone-addled breath pass in an out of her lungs in distracted mesmerization.

_Uniqlo... Another Club SEGA, and even KFC and Denny's earlier... Hmm. This is like Akiba, but not. Kinda like California too with the American eateries... Well, maybe not, actually. L-A's not nearly as dense, but it sure isn't as clean and safe either..._

Calmly glancing towards nearer passerby, a normally necessary sense of apprehension remained almost entirely absent as the local population of people simply continued past, paying nearly no heed to her presence.

_...Not like here. Maybe this is just a place all to its own. Northwestern Tokyo. Part of the megalopolis, and yet... A world all to its own. I bet every other ward of Tokyo is just like this. A busy remix of everyone and everything working together. Take some notes, America. This is how you manage a huge capitol city. Functional and clean and nice. Jeez._

Nose wrinkling from the errant splash of a water droplet, she peered upward, realizing her umbrella had lazily drifted aside, exposing more of the cloudy sky above. Moving it closer to the black expanse of Okabe's own umbrella just to the side, bumping the shield against his, a cheeky smile crept onto her face from a glimpse of his head turning, and she flopped her head aside against his shoulder.

"Staying dry?"

"Mostly."

"Anything catching your eye?"

"Anything and everything."

Slowing their pace, with Maho's head and hair remaining against the sleeve of his shirt, Okabe blinked several times in contemplation.

"...Would you like to stop and see any place in particular?"

"Nooo, just kinda taking it all in."

"Ah. Getting used to big city life?"

"Kind of."

"This must be quite a bit different from your place back in the states."

Lifting her head back upright, a portion of her ponytail remained draped on the white cloth resting on her shoulder, teasing Okabe's curiosity as her chin rose in a tilt, revealing the soft ridge of her jaw.

"Different, and better."

"Oh?"

"Everything's just more... Pleasant. The people too."

Remaining quiet, allowing her time to speak her mind, his heart beat a little faster as she squeezed his hand, her small fingers seemingly nuzzling his knuckles.

"Plus there's no Okabe-san back in Los Angeles. Found that one out the hard way."

Laughing bashfully, only to see her glance towards him with an almost wistful smile, Okabe cautiously watched her expression fade, and she visibly took in a cool breath, cheeks seeming to glow with a rosy tint afterward.

"...Which is why I'm here now."

"I noticed. _Um_ , I mean..."

"I know what you mean, goof."

"I just meant, well... You coming back was a surprise, but wasn't in a way."

"Yeah? I guess it was some kind of inevitability, wasn't it?"

"You spoke of coming back to Japan back in January. Wishes like that tend to linger deep in the mind."

"Sure do." _And so do certain people... And their related wishes._

Blushing from hints of underlying meanings in their words, darting around obvious unspoken feelings, she began into a giggle.

"...In any case, I'm happy to be here."

"As am I. Here with you, that is."

"Mmm, I noticed."

Peeking up towards him, as his mouth opened and shut twice from her playful imitation, she burst into a giggle from the sight.

_Good to hear... Handsome. Not that I would even question it._

Nearing the shadow of a highway overpass ahead, her imagination began portraying visual echoes of their date in a wintry January, with Okabe dressed sharply in crimson and black, and she exhaled with internal delight from the surges of memory.

_After all, you're the one that keeps saying yes...!_

* * *

Gazing up at vertical paneling and windows lining the rectangular facade of a particularly large commercial tower, far surpassing her expectations from Okabe's description, Maho felt rather small among the shadow of the great structure piercing the unending grey sky.

 _Wow. That place must be fifty stories h_ \- "Hoo- _shi_ - _oot_!"

Stumbling as the front of her sneaker caught the edge of a brick step, her attention rapidly returned to the extensive brickwork of a wide zig-zagged stair path they were traversing, and she blinked repeatedly as her ponytail fell around her shoulder, realizing Okabe's arm had almost instantly slackened, restraining her from falling forward.

"Watch your step, these stairs are kinda goofy."

Allowing a laugh of embarrassment to leave her lungs, rising upright and tossing her ponytail back in an attempt to regain dignity, her straight face instead curled into a restricted grin as the continued forward, cheeks red as she paid closer attention to the uneven surfaces of their ascent.

_You impeccably timed lifesaver. God forbid if I just crashed like that..._

Taking in a great breath, and silently sighing as the path thankfully flattened, her vision began wandering around again, cautiously studying several large arrangements of foliage, and the lines and patterns of darker bricks beneath in passing, seemingly directing them towards the destination ahead.

"In there?"

"Yes indeed."

Approaching the ever-widening structure, revealing itself to be a large, almost industrial-looking building with external stairwells rising along its exterior, the words 'Sunshine City' were proudly emblazoned in blue just below the roofline.

_Alright. Almost wrecked, but we're almost there... Maybe the real magic lies inside. We'll see, huh?_

* * *

**Konica Minolta "Manten" Planetarium, Ikebukero, Tokyo; 6:04p.m.**

_Okay. Two adult tickets later and... Here we are._

Reclining back on the squishy white fluff of a broad circular seat, with large overly stuffed pillows propping them upward in an angle towards the dome high above, Maho tingled with ongoing fascination in her new surroundings.

_Number one, that projector ball looks high tech and I want to know what kind of equipment is running it... And what kind of code is running the equipment. I bet its something I could figure out in two hours... Haha._

Peeking around, aware of only one other group of people seated on the grass mat, almost out of sight beyond the edge of the cushions, her head sank lower, shrouded in comfortable secrecy.

_Number two... We picked a good time to be here. There's barely anyone in here right now._

Gazing up at the slow fade of colors high above, reminded of a prior evening at a now-unknown night club, her eyelids gently relaxed, listening to her heart beat inside her chest.

_Number three, the program hasn't even started yet and this looks like its going to be amazing. This cloud-bed-seat thing is really comfy too. I can't believe he paid extra for this!_

Rolling aside slightly, shoulders and forearms brushing together, she studied the features of his face under the dim lighting, watching in silent admiration as his eyes calmly wandered somewhere above.

_...And number four, this. I'm actually laying next to you, Okabe. What do you think? Being beside me, just..._

Thought trailing away as the light dimmed into near darkness inside the spherical room, several voices hushed, and a hint of music began fading into a rich, relaxing musical melody, only for the roof to change into an incredible display of many thousands of stars, with swirls of galaxies and distant celestial phenomenon dotting the otherwise endless void of space.

_Oh. My God._

Grinning like a child, Maho's mouth then drifted open, staring at the sight as the name of the planetarium's program faded into view among the stars, and a gentle Japanese voice began narrating an introduction, with the view drifting to an outer-space view of planet Earth, briefly interrupted by a dramatic passing of the dark side of the moon.

_Hehee! Worth it! Sooo worth it already!_

Orbiting around the continents and oceans of Earth, and then wandering away through the solar system to the burnt oranges and reds of Mars, a breath left her lungs from a surge of memory.

 _I've seen you through dad's telescope... But not this high resolution, damn._ "This is amazing."

Blinking, realizing Okabe's voice had whispered the same statement beside her, head shifting aside in a glance towards her, she snuggled closer against his shoulder, nudging the top of her head against his, just above his ear.

"Yeah." _Definitely._

Entranced by a diminishing view of the increasingly smaller solar system, Maho's breath passed in and out of her chest in controlled inhales and releases, fully concentrated on the glorious depictions of all that orbited beyond the Earth. Around her, an ongoing rise and fall of gentle piano notes echoed through the spherical realm, elegantly overlapping waves of synthetic electronic melody drifting through the otherwise silent air and capturing the room's occupants in a sensory song of interstellar travel.

_This is intense. And it smells good. Aromatherapy in outer space? I'm sold._

With the narrator still speaking, the perspective eventually began passing other systems in a rapidly quickening pace, and then a whirling energized mass became discernible among the light-speed movement, seemingly slowing down in a gradual upward turn. Drifting further and further away, countless gatherings of celestial bodies and material churned in an ever-spinning spiral of universal movement, comprising the great expanse of the Milky Way galaxy.

_...And that. To think we're a speck on the outer edge of this monster. Even that fifty-story building outside is utterly insignificant in comparison._

Exhaling as a blur of stars streaked past in an inward zoom, depictions of well-known Zodiac constellations began drifting into view one by one, highlighted by expanding lines that began connecting and creating brief overlays of animal imagery, with names fading into view and labeling individual stars and bodies.

_Let's see, Aries, Gemini... Leo... Virgo... Aha, Scorpius. There you are... My sign, and my favorite constellation. Big bright Antares, the Butterfly cluster... Ptolemy cluster..._

Peeking aside, tickled by the spread of velvet tufts of hair against his neck, Okabe watched with curious wonder as Maho's lips moved, speaking silent names as they appeared on the projection above.

_Perhaps you're more of an astronomer than you speak of, Maho._

Focused on the reflective glint of her nearer iride, frequently moving in an absorption of visual imagery, he remained enchanted by her endless fascination, delighted by the passion exuding from her expression. Then, seeing her head drift in his direction, her focus fell from the dome above, settling directly onto him instead. At first startled by their meeting of separate, intense gazes, both of their expressions softened, with patient bats of lashes indicating fully held attention.

... _You're a starry-eyed stargazer. You shine like a star. A sparkling emerald star. There._

Mouth moving in a humored hum from his own thought, he watched calmly as her now-still lips parted with a flicker of interest.

_I should tell you that sometime. You'd probably love hearing it._

Shifting slightly in an adjustment of posture, his heart began racing as she rolled onto her side, and a warm, soft hand came to rest on the ridge of his jaw. Eyebrows shooting upward as the heat and intimate touches of skin and clothing enveloped his side, a glimpse of nearly-closed eyes was shut out by his own, and unseen lengths of hair settled onto his collar, promptly followed by the delicate settling of lips onto his.

_Yes. I think I will. And you will. And... Something else like that._

Mesmerized by the playful touches of her lips, his chest surged with building excitement, and he began rolling aside, keeping her in a firmer kiss of his own as he nudged her back over. Noses meeting in a facial realignment, nostrils flaring with alternating breath, their kisses began to extend in duration, slowly transitioning into deeper, calmer connections. Among the spike of intimate passion, their bodies shifted closer, coalescing into a cuddling embrace, fingers intersecting and gripping knuckles in a matching curl of digits.

_Stargazing... And now star kissing... Hehe._

Paying little heed to her sock-covered feet, meandering along the white fabric beneath as he teasingly tugged on her tongue and upper lip one at a time, their heads began settling aside into the pillows beside themselves, signalling a looming relaxation of arms and muscle.

_I wonder what his zodiac sign is. Should ask him when his birthday is... Whenever._

Slipping apart and slumping fully into the squishy rests beside themselves, shoving an errant pillow out of the way between, her loaded arm finally came to rest, although she remained tucked against him bodily. Peeking open, only to see his eyelids remaining shut, a breath drew into her lungs, and her thumb drifted along his cheek.

_I'm up for more if you... Are._

Lips meeting in a cautious touch, and then another, unseen smiles seemed to grace their faces among short and sweet pecks, with Maho's broadened by Okabe's hand as it found a place on the small of her back.

_Yeah... Kissing under a galaxy of stars. I think I'm going to remember this for... Ever._

* * *

**Sunshine City Complex, Ikebukero, Tokyo; 6:53p.m.**

Looking up beneath the arched glass portico extending out from the structure's entrance, a pattering of light rainfall splashed and streaked off of the transparent surface, and both Maho and Okabe gathered their umbrellas from their respective shoulder bags, expanding and locking both open, one by one.

"Looks like your forecast was right."

"Yes, well, with the unpredictability of our spring weather, I always keep an umbrella on hand regardless."

"Probably wise."

"I like to think so."

Stepping out from beneath the shelter and promptly lifting the shields upright, Okabe peeked aside at the lower height of Maho's umbrella, kept just beneath his and gently bumping against the thin metal supports as they walked. Wandering out onto the patterned brickwork, now shining with the glossy reflection of rainfall and illuminated light posts, the once-grey sky was now dark, shrouding the lights of multi-story high rises among the muffled gloom of a rainy spring evening.

_Went from a dark starry galaxy to a dark rainy city, but you know what..._

Eying the college student walking beside her, arms looped and hands held securely between their pace, she stirred with romantic elation from Okabe's stoic, relaxed presence.

_Either way, this is magical._

Slowing in a pause of evaluation, at the foot of the prior zig-zagging stairwell, a smooth sloped path wandered left and right down the passage, cut and cast into it with repetition. Looking down to Maho beside himself, waiting as she peeked up towards him, she lifted their held hands, moving them left and right, and a trio of chuckles left his insides in realization.

_Alright then. Long route it is._

Carefully navigating down the angled pathway, beginning the first of several winding turns, a toothy grin continued to grow on Maho's face with increasing amusement, as both of them cautiously navigated the stairwell. Listening to the ongoing patter of deflected rain, only interrupted by the fleeting passage of rubber tires on nearby streets, Okabe looked beyond towards the hidden horizon, remaining unseen beneath countless silhouetted structures lining the streets.

_Heading back to the station... And a meal not long after that. Have yet to figure that one out, but knowing her... She's bound to be hungry already._

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, and drifting across wet pavement to an adjacent sidewalk, a tempting thought of checking the time entered his mind, only to be ignored.

_Can't be that late. Seven-something, maybe. Will probably be past eight when we get back to Akihabara... Already knew this going into it. Should be fine._

Allowing a lengthy sigh to filter from his lungs, a refreshing new breath replaced the air in exchange, and he discreetly looked down at the slow sway of their held hands.

_Of course its fine. Rain and time are of no significance right now. All that matters... Is this._

Squeezing her hand, met with the tightening of her digits in response, his heart stirred happily among a bloom of acceptance.

 _Yes. All_ _that matters right now is you, Maho. I'm sure its just as clear to you as it is to me. Now, with that established_... "Where would you like to eat?"

Vision meeting with matching curiosity from his prompt, Maho's mouth parted in answer.

"I have no idea."

Eyes closing from the irony, his lungs emptied themselves.

 _Blast, too soon. Should've waited until we got onto the train_... "Well, if your palate thinks of something, let me know."

Caressing the knuckle of his thumb with her own, she offered a single nod of affirmation.

"Mmkay. I will."

* * *

 

**Tabata Station, JR Yamanote Line; Kita Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 7:27p.m.**

Mere seconds after departure from the platforms of a local stop, the passengers of a consist of E231-500 series railcars remained in a lateral lean as the green and grey commuter train continuously accelerated in a southeast heading. Seated together on an unfolded bench seat, with only their shoes wet from the ensuing light rainfall, both Okabe and Maho watched silhouetted structural elements of the surrounding metropolis pass by in fast and slow blurs, with streaks of water freely coursing along the windows of their rearward railcar.

_We need this in America somehow. Why drive, when you can traverse the nation's biggest city by train? Actually... You know what, the states can have their highways and traffic. Japan's got it figured out. Japan has everything figured out. Now I just need to figure things out... And live where they have it all figured out._

Turning and resting her chin onto Okabe's shoulder, remaining against him in an ongoing lean, her heart beat in ongoing consideration of the coming future.

_You know, I came here for this. Magical nights like this... And to figure things out in this heart of mine. So lets figure it out, me! You've barely even thought about this. Too busy having fun and daydreaming in the meantime. So now that there's quiet idle time, lets think... Where do you want to live? Well, if it wasn't already obvious, genius, why don't you live where this amazing guy lives, here in Japan. Tokyo. Live here, work and do research here... Doesn't that sound nice? Of course. Is it feasible? Maybe. Maybe is good. Better than saying no. Maybe this is feasible...? How about, yes, this is feasible, because I want it to be. More than that, I'm going to MAKE it be feasible._

Blinking, her feet fidgeting on the train's floor with a regular bouncing of her leg, a thought-laden exhale drew from her nose.

_Yes. I'm going to make it happen. Why should I even question the viability? I've already traveled the world with my own self-coded software creation, that's been written about in scientific and computing publications. I have a master's degree and a full ride scholarship. All of that's been happening from such humble beginnings as a teenager, so why have I felt like I can't just go and do what I want? I practically have my entire life in the palm of my hand. I can do whatever the hell I want to, and LIVE wherever the hell I want to! Who else can even say that in any similar positional manner at twenty-three? Nobody! So, you know what..._

Amped up with self assurance, Maho's head swiftly rose, looking up directly at Okabe and waiting to speak until he noticed her with a wayward turn of attention.

"...I'm going to move here to Tokyo."

Pausing, mouth agape from the abrupt statement, though refusing to backpedal from her own words, she waited in silence as his eyebrows rose, settled, and his head sank in a nod moments later.

"Sounds great. Can you make it happen?"

Swallowing, hearing the prompt in someone else's voice, she sighed heavily.

"I'm gonna try, and we'll see what happens."

"Well, no matter the outcome, I'll be around if you need any sort of assistance."

Tingling internally from his sincere offer, she nestled closer, releasing his fingers and wrapping her arms around his chest in a hug.

"Thank you. That's a reassuring thought, if anything."

"You're welcome. I'd hate for you to start off alone around here." _Especially with the possibility of you finally, truly staying here._

Resting his chin on her head, Okabe's heart began beating strong within his chest.

_...My god. You're really planning to move here? I mean, we've discussed the concept but, I did not expect her to go and say so with such firm declaration. She must be thinking it over every night... Weighing her options. Live out there at her university? Or here in Japan. Though with the fondness in her eyes as we've journeyed about here... I'd say the latter is steadily winning her over._

Tensing up with ongoing realizations, a sigh of his own cautiously parted his lips.

_I may have brought you out here again, Maho, but... Am I really worth the trouble of moving out here permanently? Do I really... Mean that much to you?_

Changing from thoughts of uncertainty, to a bloom of warmth and fuzzy feelings, his nose lowered into her hair.

_I-I mean... Perhaps I do. You mean a great deal to me too, admittedly, but... Good heavens. This feels just like January, but the feelings are so much stronger now._

Vision lowering to a close-proximity view of her dark and nearly untamed locks, his eyelids finally settled shut as their train wound through a sweeping curve.

_Alright. Hiyajo Maho, I don't know the exact details of what's been going through your mind lately... But I'm fairly certain I can either guess, or relate. In either case..._

"...You should."

"Huh?"

Pushed upward and turning free from her rising head, Okabe took in the curious emerald eyes filling his vision, and the remainder of uncertain thoughts seemed to crumble away into nothing.

"I think... You should move here. If you are able to, I mean."

Seeing her bushy eyebrows rise, followed by the rest of her features in a vivid illumination, the feisty young woman tucked against him suddenly seemed to bloom with an injection of resolve.

"Okay. I will. I'll make it happen."

Smiling with a hefty surge of emotion, Okabe nodded.

"I believe you." _Mostly because you've accomplished many amazing things as it is._

Sharing an overwhelming need to grin, both computer scientists began displaying conclusive mirth from the prospective plan.

"Thank you." _You have no idea how much that actually means, Okabe, cause honestly... I'm not sure anybody else is going to believe me, or understand. Besides mom and dad, but... Oh, come on, wasn't I just talking myself up earlier? Yes. We're gonna do this, and the hell if anything's going to stop me. I can go where I want, and do what I want. We've already established this._

Exhaling with an odd sense of decisive finality, she lowered her forehead against his collar.

_More precisely, I'm gonna move here to Japan, transfer my research to the university's online profile for studying and working abroad, and I'm gonna keep seeing the boy that got me back here in the first place. Especially since he thinks I should move here too... Which means he wants me to be around, which means... All kinds of things, probably. Things, and possibilities._

Smiling, and closing her eyes, the train jostled from the crossing of several points, and a subtle whine of brakes started as the consist began slowing for an upcoming station.

_Alright. Sounds like a plan... Okabe-san._

* * *

Wiping his face clear of crumbs and oil from the third slice of a freshly cooked pepperoni pizza, Okabe looked on as Maho nibbled on her fifth and final slice, with the half-torn remains of two bread sticks and an empty dish of marinara sauce pushed aside on a smaller plate.

_Such a mighty appetite... Tamed by Japanese pizza and Italian starches. I may have to document this one for posterity._

Eyes lowering to his own unfinished serving, however, he folded the well-used napkin and set it aside.

_...Or not, considering she probably has a lot on her mind still. With announcing her intent to return to here to her Honshu homeland, and then orchestrating the actual move and transference... I can't even begin to imagine._

Calmly meeting her gaze, his hands came together behind his plate of a half-eaten pizza slice.

_I can't quite imagine, but I can still assist. Somehow. I'm sure there's plenty I can do to help. Aside from the obvious factors like accommodations and general survival... And a bed. I don't even have one of those in my own laboratory. Hell, I don't even have a bedroom outside of the spare one back home... Looks like we both have some things to work on. That makes me wonder, actually... How much is she planning to move here? The fewer boxes, the better, obviously. I'm sure she knows that. Maybe I'll just let her figure out the moving part, and I'll provide a roof and food in the interim... And company, naturally._

Eyes rising, discovering she was studying him from across the table, his vision flitted away bashfully, only to return a moment later.

_Company, in consideration that you'd no longer be on the other side of a five-thousand mile ocean. As in... Well... Making things official, perhaps._

Smiling with irony from his own silent admittance, his head tilted aside.

_Why deny it? We've already been going on dates, and have been in each other's presence every day since her arrival... With no issues arising. I daresay she's hinting at being here because she wants to continue... Seeing me._

Looking across again, a curious smile lifted onto Maho's moving cheeks, processing several bites worth of a nearly-finished slice suspended in her fingers.

_He keeps peeking at me and blushing... What's he thinking about? Probably got that mind of his all worked up after talking about moving here for real._

Swallowing the contents within her cheeks, she drug the glass of Dr. P closer, closing her lips around the straw and sucking in several gulps.

_That's probably the reason, honestly. I know I've talked about wanting to move back here someday, so now that I've actually made a plan out of it, he's suddenly realizing I might not be halfway across the world anymore... I'll be right here in his city. Within arm's reach... Huggable, kissable... Able to go out and do stuff and eat things together like this... Damn. I know its only been a week or two at a time, but every time I've been in this country, Okabe has literally made the whole experience unforgettably memorable. Other than being closer to Okinawa, that's exactly why I wanted to move here in the first place. I'm tired of being in the states, and now..._

Exhaling, and pushing the glass of soda a short distance away, her arm lowered to rest on the surface of their table.

_...Now, I think I'm starting to have a real good reason to be here. And his adorable butt is sitting right across from me._

* * *

With sidewalks empty and the streets nearly still, aside from the occasional passing of lone motor vehicles, a seemingly ceaseless drizzle of rainfall continued into the next hour, keeping umbrellas open above the heads of a spare few pedestrians and passerby, as well as a wayward duo of computer scientists meandering along the side of Chuo-Dori, arms looped and stomachs full from a satisfyingly rich pizza dinner.

_Unpredictability... Brings forth mystery and curiosity. And right now, this rainstorm is doing just that._

Gazing up at the world-renowned lights and signs of Akiba's brightly lit facades, battling against the weather's gloom, Maho's mind wandered in a series of passive rambles.

_I'm not even upset that we're not seeing a cliche romantic sunset. Outings like these are unique, and no doubt memorable. Especially with this handsome one... He embodies uniqueness and mystery. Always surprising me with things he does and says. I'm obsessed. Enamored. You tickle my curious mind, Okabe. You go about things in such interesting ways and... I can see why your computer work is so creatively engineered. Crafted by a clever mind, and driven by a boundless heart. Gosh._

Exhaling from a the fuzz of emotion tingling in her chest, her lips remained slightly parted.

_I still remember how much your coding work caught my interest back in January... You might be working on a Bachelor's degree still, but you're incredibly promising and bright, and I kinda want to make sure you reach your full potential. Especially since your adorable-ness seems to be inspired by me... Which is awesome._

Hearing spoken vignettes of prior technical conversation in her mind, with both of them speaking fond words of inspiration and admiration, her chest expanded with an inhale of humid breath.

_I'm not gonna lie, grooming someone to my level of computing competence would be amazing. Maybe I'll just take you under my wing when I move out here... Or maybe you'll be the one taking me under your wing._

Peeking up towards the protective shield of both of their umbrellas held above themselves, her vision then lowered to the features of his face, faintly illuminated by the glow of nearby streetlights and signs.

_Under the wings of a nerd of a feather. That's where I've been today... Tonight, rather. Whisked away to a space journey, and then devouring pizza. Not a bad way to end your school day, huh Okabe? Especially with me by your side._

Eyes lowering with elation, tinted in a shade of pink, her vision descended along the dark colors and folds of his school attire.

_I'm sure you're well aware of your circumstances... Goof. Now we're on our way to your apartment to wind down... Or something. Haven't bothered to check the time cause I'm just kinda totally distracted by you right now. You and that other thing I thought about earlier... Which I guess is largely happening because of you, and how I... Well, feel about you._

Exhaling held breath in a dainty release, hidden among the splash of car tires passing on wet pavement, Maho's arm crossed beneath her bosom, fingers curling around her arm.

_You know... That planetarium was pretty cool, but if I really do end up back here in Japan... We're gonna make good on that conversation we had back in January, and I'm gonna take you to Okinawa, so you can see a real starry night. No projector, no city lights... Just an infinitely vast, uninterrupted view into the stars._

Peeking up beyond the edge of their umbrellas, denied by the darkness of evening rain clouds, her eyelids lowered as her imagination began painting vivid imagery instead.

_That'll be something._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:09p.m.**

"Jump... And slide."

"Get the glowing orb up there!"

"...Nice.

"Um, why is it changing color now?"

"Because you're entering the rainbow realm, silly!"

"What, am I traveling on rainbow road?"

"Wrong game."

"I know, just making a... _Damn_ , almost missed that one."

"Ooh, watch out for the spikey meanies!"

"Can't I just... Yes I can. Alright!"

Leaning on the back of the computer couch, Hashida Itaru observed the high speed travels of a pixelated character traversing an ever-changing level of platforms and tunnels, controlled by a very-focused Kurisu seated in front of both screens. Offering singular words of movement advice, he otherwise looked back and forth at the screens, glancing at an excited Mayuri on the edge of her own cushion, and further to the flowing red hair of the red-haired visitor.

_American genius babe is actually a capable gamer too... What luck! Now to pit Mayushii and her against each other in a Smash Brothers battle royal... Heh. That'd be awesome._

Smiling from perverse thoughts of friendly female fighting, Daru then looked aside to the dark window, only to discern movement in the corner of his eye that brought his attention back towards the apartment's entrance. In a remarkably silent arrival, hidden by the audio and upbeat music of the computer game broadcast through the lab, Okabe and an adorably dressed Maho appeared together, eyes meeting his after slipping off their shoes, and then drifting closer towards the scene in front of the lab's computer. Nodding over towards the two girls deftly focused on the screens, Hashida's smile returned as his taller comrade drew up beside him, hand rising to his chin in increasing interest. With Maho passing just beside both of them, setting their respective shoulder bags aside around the corner of the nearby coffee table, she maintained the silent observation with a careful settling of her arms onto the couch's back frame.

"Wait, crap, I think I missed that one."

"Uh oh! Wait... There's another path!"

"Yes there... Oh wow, um, that's..."

"You're back to the surface, see?"

"I guess that's... _Oh_. There's the finish."

"Yay! Another crazy random level complete by miss Makise!"

Smiling as Mayuri's arm rose into the air from the triumphant completion, Kurisu began setting aside the keyboard in her lap. Looking up over her shoulder towards a curiously silent Hashida, however, she suddenly realized the presence of Okabe beside him, and Maho in a further turn, smiling from the a smirk visible on her friend's face.

"Hey there, lovebirds."

Blinking in realization from Makise's actions and words, Mayuri spun around in her seat, suddenly realizing the presence of two additional guests behind herself.

"Ohh, Maho-chan! And Okarin too! When did you two get here?"

"Just moments ago, May."

"Did you two have fun earlier?"

"Certainly did. Traveled far through outer space, and dined on pizza served up on the outer rim of our galaxy."

"Ooohh, Mayushii's never had space pizza!"

"Perhaps one day we'll have them deliver by spacecraft."

"Ehehee, that's gonna be an expensive delivery charge, you know."

Feigning a dramatic realization, Okabe turned aside, rubbing his chin in continued scrutinization.

"Perhaps... _Daru!_ I may need your assistance in manipulating the prices of solid rocket fuel."

"Roger that chief, let me go ahead and get arrested for hacking JAXA's fuel sources."

"You'll only be arrested if you are caught, comrade."

Attention straying from the humorous conversation, Maho's eyes met those of Makise again, and she reached outward, poking her friend's shoulder.

"Nerd."

"Why?"

"I saw how focused you were a minute ago."

"So I get a little bit of gaming on. Don't hate."

"I'm not hating. I just didn't realize you were a platformer."

"I play around a bit, senpai... Just not the boring stuff."

"Hey, SimCity isn't boring. You're just not the type interested in systems management."

"You're right, I'm not. You're the one with the patience and mind for it."

"Yes, well..."

Speech fading as Makise stood up from the couch in a stretch, she then began around the end of the furniture, and Maho's eyes widened as her best friend accelerated towards her, stepping aside in a failed attempt to flee, only to be enveloped by the arms of the taller redhead in a squeezing hug.

"Anyway, Maho, you're cute as can be with that skirt!"

"Agghhh... Y-Yeah?"

"Yes! I told you green wasn't the only color you could rock!"

"I'm, ack... I wear other colors all the time!"

"Ooh, Mayushii wants in on the hugging!"

Blinking as Mayuri stormed over, enveloping Maho's front in a cushion of additional womanly features, both Okabe and Daru stared at the sight of a profusely blushing Maho sandwiched between two laughing friends, her struggling arm dropping down in defeat.

_Good lord. Hiyajo-san's thoroughly enveloped by marshmallow overload._

Peeking aside to Daru, Okabe chuckled from the stupor visible on his face.

_...And the Otaku mind is running wild already. One can only wonder what's going on in everyone's minds at the moment._

Stepping back and revolving towards the stubby fridge tucked into the corner of the living room, he tugged the small door open, feeling a cushion of cold air brush against his clothing as he knelt down.

"Anyone want anything?"

"Is there more green tea?"

"Several cans."

"I'll take one."

"Me too!"

"Maho?"

"G- _Guhh_ , I'll probably just have water, honestly."

Grabbing two cans of tea, a bottle of Dr. P for himself, and then a bottle of water, Okabe backed away, rising upright once more.

 _Even after hours of rainfall, hm?_ "Alright."

Moving back past the stubby old wood of the coffee table, handing off the beverages as a crowd of movement began in several directions across the living room, Okabe then slowed to a halt as a mildly flustered Maho headed directly towards him, walking face-first into his chest and curling her slender arms around his abdomen.

"Hello again."

"Mmmf."

"...I see. Here's your water."

Releasing one arm from his side in an upward reach, he promptly lowered the bottle into her grasp, and she shook with a nearly-unheard giggle, peeking up at him with a drag of her elfin nose alongside the buttons of his shirt.

"Thhhanks."

Entranced by the flutter of eyelashes above hints of a smile, with her mouth otherwise tucked into the fabric of his collared shirt, his hands gently settled to rest on her shoulders.

"You're welcome." _For that, and for our prior adventure. Though you're to be credited for today's outing in the first place... Right. Seems we're both responsible for such marvelous experiences._

Remaining still as her arm drew back around his side, the bottle still in her grasp, the warm breath of a sigh issued against his chest, hearts beating from their calm embrace.

_Yes. Ongoing adventures of such incomparable manner... Beside the verdant starry-eyed astronomer. The beautiful, petite, emerald-eyed, computationally-inclined enigma... Planning on a permanent return to the nation of Japan._

Captivated by the lengthy list of his own descriptors, perfectly suiting the young woman tucked up against himself, the beat of his heart quickened.

_Even now, I await your inevitable arrival, Maho. No longer bound by the need to eventually return to the other side of the world... Back in the place that you seem to be comfortable in, and much closer to your homeland of Okinawa._

Lifting his hand higher, the edge of his palm brushed up against her chin, and she nudged it in response, watching him with equal enamorment.

_Whenever you make it happen, I'll be here, ready to assist. Once you make your move, I'll be right in sync with you. Running like two GPU's in twin-SLI... Nerds of a feather, flying and working together._

Neck warming with romantic elation, his smile broadened as the rest of the lab's activity seemed to fade away around them.

_I'll help you make this dream we share a reality. I promise._

* * *

Seated on the old green couch tucked against the apartment's wall, vision rising from the thick spread of laminated pages clipped in within the Amadeus' project logbook, Kurisu eyed the white and blue colors of Maho's spring attire. With the young woman seated up on top of the computer couch's back frame, the layered folds of her long blue skirt draped over the back of the furniture, and a lengthy ponytail hung in suspension between her shoulders, reaching down nearly to waist-level.

_I love how much you've been dressing up lately, Maho. Normally you don't give much thought to personal appearances at the university... But with a boy in the equation, suddenly you're out to win him over with your cuteness, and its a total delight to witness. Keep it up, honey!_

Reaching aside and plucking a nearly-finished can of green tea from the adjacent cushion, she lifted it to her lips in a tilt, and after several swallows, watched with discreet interest as the tall profile of Okabe quietly stepped past, slowing to a halt behind Maho.

_And you... Mister Rintarou. You're doing a fine job of winning over my little senpai._

Setting the empty can onto the table with a forward lean, Makise then flopped back against the cushions behind, slowly grinning as the length of his arms drew around Maho's slender sides, bringing an obvious red-faced smile onto her best friend's expression.

_...And the way you two counter your height differences is impossibly cute too. I hope Mayuri's been seeing these things. Our mission has been working out nicely so far, with them going on dates, and... You know what, I think a group outing is in order soon. Get everyone out of the lab and into a different environment together. That'd be a lot of fun if we can pull it off._

Retrieving her phone from her pocket, she began composing a new message to Mayuri's newly acquired phone number.

_Alright, Mayushii. 'What do you think about a group dinner party somewhere? Tomorrow evening maybe.'_

Sending the message, eyes flitting over towards the shorter dark hair of Shiina seated nearby, actively playing the same side-scrolling computer game from earlier, the chirp of a newly received message emitted somewhere in the distance, and Kurisu hummed with amusement.

_Now for you to check your phone at your convenience, friend-shipping comrade-in-arms._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Ohiyama Building, Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:53p.m.**

Standing in the stairwell adjacent to his apartment, shrouded in the cozy secrecy of dim lighting, both Maho and Okabe stood on offset steps, held together in an encore of shared embraces. With her forehead against his collar, tucked just under his chin, Okabe's left hand wandered up along her bare neck in a gentle caress, fingertips finding their way into the beginnings of her thick tufts of hair. Realizing with discreet delight that Maho was humming with pleasure, his digits continued brushing further into the back of her scalp, spreading around the beginnings of the tightly bound ponytail.

_Ohoo, yeeppp, right there underneath, just... Yeesss. Hahaa, keep, scratching, that. Mmmmmhm...! You just keep playing with my hair as much... As you want, because I'm just kinda melting right now._

Feeling the seep of a lengthy sigh blow onto his neck, his attention remained on the shroud of dark hair of the mighty young woman seated before himself, succumbing to the massaging motions of his digits.

_Seems I've found a special spot... And she knows it._

Wandering closer to her ear, thick tufts of short locks ran between his knuckles in repeated upward drifts, and she seemed to push her head against his hand in a cat-like nuzzle, begging for more.

_Right. To tame a Hiyajo-san, one must caress the depths of her mighty mane... Noted for the future. At least, for whatever may take place in the future. Hopefully many more moments like this._

Pausing as her head drew back, face rising to meet his, she stood on her toes, and he promptly lowered to match, readily meeting her lips in a sweet, simple kiss.

_...And this._

Mind wandering, his thoughts warping in a fuzzy reconstruction of word order, his right hand settled onto a cautious perch on her hip, and her palms grasped hold of his shirt behind his back.

_This is what I need. You here with me._

Maintaining their physical connections, and then allowing the moment to fade among a retraction of limbs, breathy exhales of satisfaction left their lungs one by one, and light laughs issued back and forth among a variety of goofy changing expressions and eyebrow rises.

"So... What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"I don't know yet."

"But you'll contact me when you do, I assume?"

"Naturally."

Nodding from her confident, punctual response, Okabe then stepped aside in the stairwell, and Maho eyed him fondly as she slowly began into a descent, step by step.

"Good night then, _Maho_."

Heart fluttering among the expected ache from another nightly separation, her hand rose, fingers wiggling in a delicate wave.

"Good night, _Okabe_."

Waiting with utmost reluctance as her speech faded in an echo inside his mind, Okabe's hands then slipped into his pockets as she meandered down the passage, turning the corner with her newly retrieved umbrella in hand, and then disappearing from sight. Leaning aside against the dark cinder block wall comprising the building's upper construction, a sigh then exited his insides.

_Another day past, and another day to come... Beside the emerald eyed enigma._

Heart beating, he turned aside, heading back to the metal door of his apartment a short distance ahead.

_I can only imagine what's in store for us tomorrow... Though anything like earlier today would certainly be fine by me._


	18. 10010

**Thursday, May 3rd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:04a.m.**

"You were getting close to missing the hotel breakfast."

"Nnngh."

"If I didn't wake you, you'd sleep well into the afternoon."

Lips curling aside, a small huff left Maho's equally diminutive nose.

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would. I unanimously conclude this as a factual occurrence based on prior observation."

Brow furrowing, as both her and Makise meandered along a wide variety of breakfast entrees and beverages available, her vision groggily wandered around a selection of prepackaged cereal.

"Hmph." _Maybe back at the dorms... There's not a whole lot to be awake for back there._

"In any case, we're not in California anymore."

"Obviously."

"Also, I doubt you'd want to miss out on messaging your Okabe-san while he's in class."

Shoulders tightening, Maho's neck began to warm from Makise's teasing statement, and her arm distractedly probed outward towards the shelf, thankfully finding familiar western brands of cereal within reach.

"Oooh, yes. Don't mind if I do... And how about _two?_ "

Head tilting from the comical utterance leaving a half-awake Maho, Makise watched the shifting of her best friend's disheveled mane as she stacked two sealed bowls of Cap'N Crunch on her open palm, additionally plucking a carton of milk from a refrigerated shelf at the hotel's cafe.

_Your random little rhymes never cease to amuse, senpai. Even with you ignoring me..._

Following her lazy mid-morning stride towards a group of nearly-empty tables, eying her familiar dress of a wrinkled T-shirt and athletic shorts as they progressed, the corners of Kurisu's mouth began curling upward as Maho plopped onto a chair, dragging herself closer with a grunt of held breath.

"Taking a break I see."

Brushing aside a tuft of bed-hair tickling her cheek, Maho's eyes narrowed as she peeled off the plastic lid to the bowl.

"I am. Woke up with a hankering for cereal."

"Ah."

Settling into her own chair, and lowering her own plate to the surface, the wisp of steam from an English muffin breakfast sandwich garnered her attention briefly as she began pouring milk into her bowl.

"...Although that looks kinda good."

"Nuh uh, you made your choice already."

"Grr. Yeah. I'll live." _Maybe._

"Anyway, onto other matters. Ready for another recap?"

Swallowing the first spoonful of crunchy yellow cereal, Maho's nose flared with an exhale.

"I thought we already talked last night."

"Hardly. You keep crawling into bed right away so I never get the full story."

"Hmph. Well, a girl's gotta get her sleep."

"And you get plenty enough, as we were just discussing, which is why I capitalize on our mornings together for discourse."

Blinking among several chews, Maho stared lazily at the redhead.

"...Right. So, you want a recapitulation of yesterday."

"Yes!"

"Okay. It was really nice, even with the rain all day."

Allowing a pause in an already disjointed conversation, both girls processed another mouthful of breakfast.

 _Concise, but vague_... "That's good. I assume the planetarium was a worthwhile venture?"

"Mmhm."

"And what, you two had dinner somewhere, right?"

"Pizza _a la' Japan_."

"Yummy."

"Kinda talked about some things while we were out and about... Ikebukero was an interesting place too."

"Things?"

"Future stuff."

"Ooohh, making plans are you?"

Eyebrow rising from Kurisu's prodding speech, Maho submerged her spoon into the bowl for another serving.

"Possibly." _And by that, I mean absolutely. Absolutely intending to move here to Japan. You'll know about it sooner or later... Or you'll piece it together on your own, like you seem to do._

"Oh... I just realized I forgot to tell you about something that happened yesterday."

"Yeah?"

"Nothing bad, I promise."

Groggily glaring at Kurisu, Maho's attention descended back to the utensil in hand.

"Hope not. I already told you I don't want to rescue you from some fiasco."

"Ohh you'll be fine. Anyway... I met someone really interesting while you were at the planetarium yesterday."

Gulping down another crunchy spoonful, her chin rose slightly.

"A guy...?"

"Nope. A girl."

"Ahh. The plot thickens."

"Certainly does. She happened upon me while I was over at that Don Quijote place... I assumed she was some kind of serious cosplayer, but I guess she was just one of those dressy types that likes to show off the depth of her closet."

"Hmmm."

"Not that she wasn't pretty or anything... Pretty in pink, really."

"Heh." _Alright. I can't shake the feeling she's hinting at something._

Watching the younger redhead take a bite of her breakfast sandwich, Maho studied her friend's expression as her eyelids narrowed, visibly arranging her thoughts.

_...Is she?_

"Anyway, she talked in this crazy high pitched voice, and spoke in third person. Wore some kind of cat ears and said meow and nya and other kitty-isms. I think she's one of those -."

"Wait, cat ears?"

"Yeah."

Hand lowering to the table, Maho's brow furrowed in recollection.

"Hold on... Did she have really long pink hair?"

"...Yes. Curly twin-tails."

"Big reddish eyes?"

"Yep. You sound like you've seen her."

"If this is the same person, I've already met her."

"Really?"

"Back in January when I was shopping at the station. She just kinda appeared, like you said."

"Well, she ended up showing me around several stores yesterday. Must be her frequent haunts or something."

"I think Akihabara as a whole is her domain. At least, she spoke of it that way."

"Hmm... Some kind of city princess benefactor."

"Something."

"In any case... I went on a wandering adventure with her while you were out on your date."

"Nice. Get anything?"

"Just a few things. Was hard to resist spending more... Found all kinds of cute stuff."

"I hear that. It was thanks to cat girl that I ended up finding that outfit I wore back in January on our first date."

"Where from?"

"Atré One."

"Is that so...?"

Digging into a nearby bag, Makise produced a pen and her notepad, scribbling a notation and drawing Maho's attention to the yellow reams of paper, only for the object to vanish beneath the table again.

 _Alright, you._ "We already went there earlier this week."

"Yes, but nobody says I can't go back for more."

Swallowing, Maho rolled her eyes beneath her freely hanging bangs.

 _Until you're spending one-fifty for something you wear once or twice a year..._ "I feel like you're secretly burning up a ton of money."

"Nope."

"Oh, okay. Scholarshipper."

"You got a full ride too, Maho. Don't you get all money-miser on me."

"I'm not. Just watching out for your spending habits."

"I swear, you worry about me more than my mother sometimes."

"Only because I'm older and by default have to be responsible for my younger rebellious companion."

"Honestly, you don't. You just choose to be because you care."

"Maybe. Someone has to keep you out of trouble." _Especially considering you're essential to the Amadeus program... And whatever neuroscience things you're researching._

Lifting the bowl to her lips and tilting it, flavored milk was quickly gulped down in a swift conclusion of the bowl of cereal, only for Maho to tear open the next one.

_...Although, if I end up moving here, and she stays there in California, she'll be on her own. I wonder how she'll feel about that?_

Pouring milk into the pile of sweetened corn, lifting the cereal aloft in a sudden dairy tide, she stirred her spoon through the mixture.

_She'll have to come to terms with the fact that I'm planning on leaving that American dormitory life behind, almost entirely for a boy in Japan. Maybe she'll think it to be a silly plan, but that's just too bad... You're the one that said to follow my heart anyway, so I'm gonna do exactly that._

Vision rising to her younger friend, seated across the table and quietly enjoying another bite of her breakfast, Maho waited patiently until their eyes met.

_Follow my heart, wherever it leads... Which is why I'm preparing to enter a new chapter in my life. Or maybe several, who knows. Progress requires change and experimentation, so... I'm going to do both, and reprogram my entire waking life. Then I can do what I want, live wherever I want, and... Most importantly..._

Imagining a messy-haired, suit-coat-dressed Okabe seated across from her, only an evening beforehand, her head settled into a lean.

_I can be with the one I want._

* * *

**Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, California, USA; 5:21p.m.**

"Hmmmm..."

Interpreting the drawn-out hum of contemplation entering her audio feed, Amadeus-Makise looked between the shared window on the screen of a desktop computer, and the squinting eyebrows of a heavily thinking blonde man seated in front of the computer's desk.

"Professor... They are amassing reinforcements around their town center."

"I see. Unique units too. Teal team seems adamant about breaching my walls under a hail of arrows."

"Might I suggest another Keep to be built between those two?"

"Perhaps."

Switching back and forth between the on-screen imagery of a real-time-strategy game and the live video feed of Professor Leskinen, Amadeus then crossed her arm, cheekily matching his posture with a touch of her hand against her chin.

"I assume you have the stone reserves for it?"

"I do."

"Then I have no doubt that an additional tower will draw them closer to the others along the eastern flank, subjecting them to further defensive attack."

"Precisely."

"I thereby predict that this session's duration will last twelve percent longer than yesterday's play-through."

"Depending on the enemy's tenacity, certainly."

Listening to another lengthy hum of contemplation entering the webcam's microphone, Amadeus stifled an electronic giggle, invisibly adding an internal notation to her data set.

_#3,179: Professor's emitted thinking sounds are funny; he is also a confirmed R-T-S fanatic. Evaluate further when possible!_

***click***

Watching with equivalent interest as the newly-constructed tower was subject to a rapidly approaching ground force, only for a flurry of tiny pixel arrows to decimate the units from the garrisons of archers packed inside all three freestanding structures, both Alexis and Amadeus nodded in mutual satisfaction of a successful defense.

"Seems your suggesting and timing were impeccable, Makise-two."

"Thank you sir."

Nodding in answer, mouse drifting across the desk's surface, Alexis Leskinen glanced aside into the interior of the neuroscience laboratory, which remained otherwise empty without the two young women that frequented the room.

_Been rather quiet these past few days... Without the dynamic duo alternating between cooperative efforts, and daily bickering._

Attention returning to the computer screen, his eyelids narrowed in thought, tilting Amadeus' head in a response of curiosity.

 _Barely half a year after our demonstration at the Tokyo tech expos_ _é, and Hiyajo suddenly departs with Kurisu in tow, right back to Akihabara. Our program's most essential minds go out to play, and I'm stuck here after-hours in the meantime._

Exhaling from his own harmless remark, his vision wandered aside from the game play again, studying the virtually rendered portrait of an electronically-transferred copy of Kurisu's mind, acting with full autonomy.

_...No matter, though. Our self-engineered equivalent still resides here, and research can still take place. As it happens, pitting our own artificial intelligence against other manufactured intelligences has proved to be rather fascinating. Computer against computer, and to wit, the intelligence with human origins still seems to have the advantage. This is worthy of compiling a report... But before that, one must defeat these opponents in good old fashioned medieval conquest._

"Orange team has a garrison on approach from the Northeast."

***click***

_Hmm. Another wave of enemies approaches, and this time we have newly completed siege catapults in the vicinity._

***click-click***

Smiling from the sight and sounds of pixelated virtual warfare ensuing on-screen, Alexis' chin sank in a nod of accomplishment.

Take that, feudal fiends. You won't be breaching this wall any time soon.

* * *

**Thursday, May 3rd, 2012; Rensei Park, Akihabara, Tokyo; 12:16p.m.**

Shrouded by the shade of broad deciduous leaves, with thinly growing grass offset by colorful clusters of planted flowers, Maho sat on a bench with legs crossed, and a college-rule notebook open in her lap. Scribbling several technical notes beneath dozens of personal bullet-points already added, alternating between English and Katakana with each notation, her left hand then reached aside, plucking a disposable cup of lukewarm Earl Grey tea from its place against her knee.

_Queried SQLf clause failed to initiate a complete sequence, and a non-fatal error logged... Which is odd considering you have three other clauses to choose from, at minimum. So instead of that, you hit an internal stumbling block and just halted. Did you not even respond? I'll have to compare the time the error logged to what happened on the video feed... And see what confused our virtual Kurisu._

Downing several gulps of the black tea beverage, her thumb began clicking the end of the pen repeatedly, re-reading her own inked words.

_I wonder..._

Attention rising to the motorized hums of passing cars and scooters on the adjacent street, the rim of the cup remained against her lower lip.

_...Is this a preview to a life here in Tokyo? Problem solving my work in public thinking space. Passing the time until a special someone is done with his classes for the day._

Smiling, and tilting the mug back up, another splash of bergamot citrus met her tongue.

_Maybe it is. If that's the case, I could handle this. Along with other things... Like evening outings whenever and wherever. Anywhere Akiba, right Okabe?_

Rolling the pen back and forth beneath the bend in her index finger, she set the cup aside, gazing down at the writing utensil as it spun between her digits.

_You're the city boy, so you know all the places around here... My mysterious tour guide. It doesn't even have to be Akihabara either, honestly. Ikebukero was just as neat, and different enough. Plus that planetarium was cool. Cloud-pillow-bed-things, and kisses under the stars. Damn that was fun. Even commuting with him on the train... Alright. Fine. Let's just go ahead and admit that doing literally anything with him gets me going. He radiates intrigue and warmth, and I can't get enough of either. I can't get enough of him in general. Walking away every night without him makes this heart of mine ache like crazy... And afterwards, I go to bed and daydream for an hour, about everything past and present._

Exhaling, a fluctuation of temperature rippled across her skin.

_I'm sure he's been doing a lot of thinking and dreaming too. What, with me coming back, and then vowing to move here to Japan. Seeing the face he made after I told him all that was unforgettable... And the light in his eyes. Gosh. Sparkling hazel handsomeness._

Tucking her chin aside, resting her jaw onto her shoulder, a blush crept up onto her cheeks.

_He's excited. Totally. He's been excited since I first arrived, and if I didn't know any better..._

Looking aside, allowing the intimate thought to fizzle and fade, her heart burned with emotion.

_...I-I mean, we've only been around each other for, well, whatever. Who can even measure or judge our feelings anyway? Nobody but him and I... And I know how to interpret feelings like this. I think._

Eyelids flopping shut, the sounds of city ambience filled the space around several pertinent thoughts in her mind.

_Okay. I'm gonna give it at least one more day. One more day, and then maybe... Maybe I'll know for sure._

Sighing, and peeking open, she closed the notebook in her lap, shoving it into the satchel leaning against the bench's armrest.

_Maybe. Such ambiguity... And I can't help it, can I? Not when the most amazing guy in the world is making me feel like this._

* * *

**Thursday, May 3rd, 2012; Chuo-Dori, Akihabara, Tokyo; 2:41p.m.**

"I told you about the computer market place, right?"

Tilting aside in a downward glance towards Maho, Makise's shoulders rose in half a shrug, her sunglasses drifting down along her nose.

"You did. Wasn't that where you got that rainbow mouse?"

"Uh huh."

Sifting through memories for an old conversation from months prior, her eyes narrowed as they walked through the city's thoroughfare in the early afternoon.

"Old electric town or whatever, right?"

"Yes."

"What brings that up?"

"Oh, well, I think we're near it, if you wanted to see it."

"Hmmm. I wouldn't be opposed... But I doubt I'd buy anything."

"You wouldn't have to. Technically its one of those sorts of cultural heritage places, so..."

Speech drifting off as both of their phones chirped and vibrated with oddly similar timing, their eyes met as hands distractedly went for their bags.

"Group message?"

"Probably the professor."

Eying her device's screen, Makise's brow rose, prompting Maho to snatch her blue and white phone with increasing curiosity.

"Almost. Its from Amadeus."

"Wait, _what?_ Why?"

"Did you get it? The email?"

Tapping her thumb in repeated motions, Maho's footfall slowed to a halt, evaluating the contents of an email with several computer game screenshots attached within.

"I... Did. Something about achieving, _um_... Tactical, medieval victory."

Reading a concise dialogue written by her own AI, Maho exhaled with mild disbelief.

_Computer gaming, with the professor. All things considered, that is Kurisu's memory set, and she was gaming last night in the lab, but for Amadeus to go on and share screenshots like this...?_

"What a nerd."

Turning, and eyes meeting, both scientists promptly burst into laughter from Maho's own quip.

"...I'm serious! She's just like you!"

"Her data set is me, Maho!"

"Yes, and both of you are huge nerds."

"Says you. What game is that?"

"Age of Emp- Sh-shush!"

"Ah- _ha!_ See? You already recognized the program."

"Cause I've seen screenshots before...!"

"And you've played it, haven't you?"

"Maybe. Whatever."

"In any case, you're just as nerdy as all of us, senpai."

"I've never even denied that in the first place!"

Humming with mirth, Kurisu nodded towards the sidewalk as a stream of people continued passing, and Maho hurried into a matching pace beside her, stowing her phone.

"A-Anyway, you were wondering what was going on in America while we've been gone."

"This must be part of it."

"I'm almost afraid to know what else the professor's been up to."

"I imagine there's not a very quantifiable amount of progress made on things in our absence."

"Not with the primary researchers and testers out here in Tokyo."

"All two of us... Right."

Attention drifting aside towards her own reflection on a glass storefront, Maho's brow furrowed with interest.

_I really wonder sometimes... How the professor is able to secure continued funding, with how distracted and sporadic our development gets. I guess the worldwide awareness of our project helps justify the program's costs... Or something._

Hearing another chirp of an inbound message, she peeked back across her shoulder, only for Kurisu to type and tap on her phone's screen wordlessly.

"...That your twin again?"

"No, someone else."

"Oh."

"Coordinating something for later on, actually."

"Oh yeah?"

"Hopefully you'll be inclined to join in."

"That would depend on what it is."

"A group dinner."

Chin rising with slight surprise, Maho's expression showed a flicker of interest.

"With everyone from the lab?"

"Yes."

"I'm game."

"Figured. I don't think you'd ever be able to resist combining food and your sweet love in the same evening."

Cheeks reddening, she lifted her phone from her handbag again.

"Hey, I don't think anyone could."

"Hmm."

"One day you'll understand, young one."

Smiling from Maho's remark, Kurisu glanced across the avenue, up towards the busy skyline beyond.

"Oh, perhaps one day I'll find my own Prince Charming, right?"

"He's not prince charming..."

"No?"

"Nope. He's just a delightful man of mystery."

Lifting her flat hand up above Maho's bushy head of hair, Makise's mouth curled into a calm smirk.

"Tall, handsome, hazel eyed and soft spoken... Any other descriptors, senpai?"

Blushing from her own words recited teasingly by Kurisu, she grinned helplessly.

"That about covers it!"

* * *

**Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 2:56p.m.**

Head lifting from his forearm, propped upon the surface of the computer desk, Okabe's limb extended in a stretch, only to lower towards the vibration beginning in his shorts pocket.

_Let's see..._

Vision descending from the output preview of a command-line-based editing program, his thumb swiped upward to unlock his phone's screen, revealing an inbound message from Maho in his lap.

_Ah. Hello there, verdant-eyed vixen._

'So Amadeus informed me that it helped my professor defeat opposing computer players in a strategy game...'

Rereading the text meeting his eyes, he blinked repeatedly.

'Huh.'

'That was pretty much my reaction too.'

Exhaling from his nose with concealed humor, his thumb resumed motion.

'I'm afraid I have many questions now.'

'You and me both. I had no idea the professor played any games.'

'I didn't know Amadeus could reach out and email you.'

'It can, yeah. I used to have it email me its error logs, but that was quickly realized to be a mistake.'

'Spamming the inbox?'

'Three hundred and fifty emails one day. x_x Never again.'

'Haha, sounds terrible.'

'Hence why that feature was disabled. ^_^ Anyway, hello!'

'Afternoon. :)'

'How goes class?'

'Doing some command line work. Right up your alley.'

'Mmhmm. Anything cool?'

'Still the same project.'

'Oh. Symphony?'

'Yes.'

'Fun. ^_^'

'I assume you're in the midst of today's adventure?'

'Sure am. :3'

Vision flitting towards the monitor ahead, clicking on an active instance of the RINE message application, he set his phone onto his lap, and quickly typed a new message.

'Been relayed that Amadeus has been defeating computer game AI. Thoughts?'

Slowly smiling as the only other user, ' _DaSH_ ', began typing in response, Okabe sat in patient waiting.

'DUDE I knew it was secretly planning to take over the world! She definitely was bluffing when I asked her about it before.'

'Maybe the video game world...'

'Who knows what's going inside that AI's files, bro. Next she'll start taking control of the internets, and then the cyber war will truly begin!'

Hands resting on the dusty keyboard, Okabe's head shook slowly. Retracting down to his lap instead, he retrieved his phone once more, composing a belated response.

'Daru is concerned that Amadeus' victory is the beginning stages of cyberspace domination.'

Waiting patiently for the message to send, he clicked on the instance of the editing software, adding an html tag with a patter of fingers.

***bzzzzt***

Tilting his phone's screen again from the new vibration, his typing hand distractedly retracted from the keyboard.

'Hahaha, what a weirdo. He can think what he wants, but not my software, and not on my watch.'

'If I remember correctly, Amadeus already shot down such a consideration long ago, citing the feasibility.'

'Sure did. I remember.'

'I'll go ahead and remind Hashida that his fears are null and void.'

_Then again... Dissuading an Otaku of irrational fears is a fruitless venture. Hashida's paranoia happens to fairly entertaining anyway._

'At least concerning my AI... Muahaahaaa :3'

Imagining a petite, sweet Maho attempting a round of evil laughter, Okabe chuckled from the thought.

_Maybe with that smirk of hers... Just maybe. She's moderately intimidating when armed with that plastic cannon so... I suppose its doable._

'Oh, by the way, Kurisu is orchestrating some kind of dinner outing for everyone in the lab.'

'Is that so?'

'Obviously you're automatically invited, as the founder.'

'What's the occasion?'

'Not sure. Probably just fun and mayhem, knowing her.'

'I see.'

'Are you free for it?'

'Of course. Where are we going?'

'Still figuring that one out, I guess.'

'Ah. Keep me updated as you can.'

'Naturally. Give me a call when you're nearing the station, okay? Then we can meet up with everyone.'

'Can do. See you soon.'

'Yeah. Can't wait. *^_^*'

Sitting back in his chair, Okabe looked across his shoulder towards a distant wall clock.

_A group dinner, hm? Perhaps they figured they owed the others for stealing me the day before yesterday. Regardless, I imagine it should be an entertaining venture... Once they figure out where we're supposedly going._

* * *

**Kasensou Private Preparatory Academy, Ochanomizu, Tokyo; 3:11p.m.**

Leaning against the poster-laden drywall of her school's busy central corridor, with dozens of students meandering in passing between class periods, Shiina Mayuri's thumbs remained busy on the keypad of her cell phone, creating a response to an already-ongoing conversation.

'Mayushii has already messaged Daru, and he says he can come along. Have you and Maho-chan decided on the place?'

Looking on in patient waiting after sending her message, the stubby phone in her grasp vibrated, pulling back her otherwise distracted attention.

'Maho has a place in mind, but she says there's more than one restaurant in it, so we can decide on popular vote.'

'Oooh! Mayushii likes this agreement plan. What time are we meeting there?'

'We're planning on gathering in the courtyard in front of Akihabara station around six. Should give everyone time to take care of whatever they need to.'

'Sounds like a plan! Mayushii looks forward to hanging out with Makise-shi and Maho-chan tonight!'

'As do I. \\(^_^)/ Don't forget, our secret mission will be in full effect as soon as the group is together.'

'Mmmmhm! Mayushii is definitely ready for it.'

Vision rising in a wander through recent memory, her lips then parted in an old realization, prompting her to compose another message.

'...Um, Mayushii also sort of wishes Amadeus-chan could come along too. She'd have lots of fun, even if she couldn't eat anything!'

Holding her breath after sending the message, uncertain of how silly the thought sounded in retrospect, she blinked from the awaited reply arriving in her palm.

'As it happens, Amadeus is currently busy conquering the computer game world with our professor.'

'Really? I didn't know your AI liked to play games.'

'I do, and my memory twin is just like me after all. (^_^)'

Giggling lightly, Mayuri pushed herself upright from the wall.

'I guess if she's busy anyway, then that's alright.'

'I'll make sure to let it know you were thinking about it though.'

'Yay! Amadeus-chan might like that.'

'I'm certain she will.'

* * *

**Thursday, May 3rd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:25p.m.**

Standing still in front of a broad mirror, mounted above the sink of her hotel room's bathroom, Maho's hands sat idle on the edge of the sink counter, watching as Makise busily arranged her mane of dark hair into an updo behind her head. Dressed in a black and teal blouse purchased earlier in the week, with a pleated skirt, long socks and black bow-tied shoes to match below, her cheeks remained aglow with a trace of blush applied only minutes beforehand.

_Starting to feel like that day in January again... And its kind of exciting. Even with the others with us, I'm definitely counting this as a date if I'm dressing up like this for you, Okabe-san._

Standing just behind, Kurisu's head tilted in a series of leans left and right, a hint of a smile persisting on her expression as she worked with Maho's hair, twisting and folding lengths and tufts into order. Dressed in her own loose-fitting shirt draping low across her collar from her shoulders, with denim shorts revealing the length of her legs above a pair of dress sandals, her attention flitted back and forth between her busy fingers, and Maho's face in the mirror's reflection.

_You're cute as can be, senpai... Can't wait to see how your heartthrob reacts when he sees you. I know I'd be smitten if some cutie was dressed like this for me._

Holding her head firm from several gentle pulling motions, thin bamboo shafts were tucked into the updo in a crossing of chopsticks, and a series of snaps of elastic confirmed the placement of hair ties. Then, a free-falling slump of gathered hair came to rest behind her head, and Kurisu's hands conclusively settled to rest on her best friend's shoulders.

"Done?"

"Done. What do you think?"

"Looks good. Nice work."

Beaming from Maho's simple reply, Kurisu patted the updo with her hand, confirming the security of the arrangement. Then with a turn and wander out of the bathroom, she plopped down into a desk chair nearby, crossing her legs as Maho wandered into the room seconds afterward.

"We've still got half an hour."

"Takes maybe ten minutes to get to the station without distractions."

"So, what, five-fifty?"

"Sure."

"Hear anything new from the others?"

"Mayuri and Daru are still coming along."

"Okay. Okabe is too."

"Hope so. Especially with you in a getup like this."

Rolling her eyes, and then turning away with a whirl of her skirt, Maho stepped towards her bed in an attempt at hiding the warmth creeping up along her neck.

"Yeah."

"I'm serious, Maho. You're a delightful little darling right now."

"Mmmmaybe."

"Mister Rintarou won't be able to believe his eyes."

Imagining prior instances of a speechless Okabe, a giggle bubbled inside her chest among fond memories of his bashful behavior.

"Probably not."

"Anyway, did you look up that place some more?"

"Chomp Chomp?"

"Yes, that."

"A little bit. I just remember there being eight or nine different eateries when he and I went last time."

"Right."

"...Weren't you wanting to decide as a group?"

"We still are, that hasn't changed."

"Oh, then... Okay."

"Don't they have a directory?"

"At the building, yes."

"I meant online."

"I didn't check."

"That's what I was asking, silly!"

"We'll be there in less than an hour, genius. Can't you just wait?"

"I can, but curiosity is getting the best of me."

Turning around, and seating herself on the messy sheets of her bedding, Maho's hands came together in her lap.

"You'll just have to wait."

"Meanie."

"Yep."

Laughing lightly, Kurisu revolved in the desk chair, uncrossing her legs.

"Nine stories, right?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I think so."

"And that bar you went to, was on the top floor?"

"Pretty sure."

"So you had a snowy view of the Tokyo skyline."

"Sure did."

"That sounds amazing. You're a lucky girl to experience stuff like that."

Tilting her head aside, a slideshow of coveted memories began filtering through her mind.

"Maybe."

"And you shared it all with a special someone to boot. What a dreamy experience."

Eyelids settling shut, hiding the sparkle of enamorment in her eyes, Maho smiled gently from Kurisu's unexpectedly honest words.

"Yeah." _Hopefully tonight, we'll be able to make some more magic happen, just like that time in January. Even with friends along for the ride._

Chin sinking into her neck, a lengthy breath of preparation quickened her heartbeat.

_Half an hour, and another date-thing begins. This will be interesting._

* * *

**JR Akihabara Station, Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:06p.m.**

Leaning back against the tubular railing of a tree planter, Maho's arms remained at rest on the smooth steel, passively watching the traffic of pedestrians in and out of the station's entrance. Just beside her, leaning back in a matching manner, Kurisu's attention remained on a back and forth orbit of her courtyard surroundings, taking in the busy public environment with insatiable curiosity.

_A little after six, and so far... Just us two. People-watching._

Adjusting her posture, Kurisu's eyes wandered along the flank of the concrete pedestrian bridge leading to the nearby UDX center.

_This place must get a ton of foot traffic with conventions... To necessitate an entire bridge._

"You've been there, right?"

"Huh?"

"This place. The UDX center."

Glancing aside from the spoken name, Maho briefly inspected the structure standing beyond Kurisu's pointed finger.

"Oh. Yeah. That's where the tech expo was in January." _Didn't I already tell you this...?_

"Ahh, so that's where you met your Okabe-san."

"Sure was."

"And from such beginnings, the epoch of a love-struck senpai began."

"Oh, shush, you."

"Never."

" _Tu-tu-ruu!_ Mayushii spies fun-sized Maho and her bestie real-misses-Makise!"

Focusing on the warble of an unmistakable greeting, both Maho and Makise smiled from the bounding approach of Shiina Mayuri several meters away.

"Heya Mayuri!"

Stepping forward to meet her, only to pause with a laugh as Shiina spun in a whirl of a light-colored dress, both girls then came together in a hug.

"Ooh, Mayushii loves how beautiful her friends are tonight!"

"Thanks honey. You're quite the darling too."

"Ehehee, what do you think, Daru? Aren't they both lovely?"

Stepping up to the gathering in his heavier pace, the otaku promptly tipped his yellow ballcap in response.

"Ladies."

" _Hashida_."

"Hack-master."

Grunting from Maho's wayward nickname, Daru then eyed their immediate surroundings with a glint of his glasses.

"Are we all waiting on Okarin?"

"Looks like it."

"Hmm."

Checking the time on her phone with the press of a side button, Maho's attention rose from the device as the clatter of a passing commuter train echoed from behind.

_Almost ten after... I'm sure he's probably just around the corner somewhere._

Drifting across the facade of the train station, towing her vision further to the left in a passive pan, a splash of red caught her eye, and her head turned quicker in response. Eyebrows perking instantly from the sight of a black-accented crimson dress shirt, a simultaneous inhale and grin lifted her cheeks as an approaching Okabe's face blossomed into an ever-friendly smile.

_Yep! And he's wearing that shirt. Holy crap you look good right now and... Hehehee. Just keep walking this way, you bunch of amazing-ness._

"Oh, there he is."

"Okarin!"

"Mister Rintarou."

Head tilting from the variety of expressions and greetings, and then Maho moving into motion towards him, Okabe's arm rose towards the back of his head.

"Sorry about being a little late, everyone."

"No big deal, we're just... _Mfffuff_."

Chuckling as she walked face-first into his chest in a familiar manner, his hands clasped together behind her back after her muffled speech, briefly tickled by the entrails of her updo as his arms came to rest on her shoulders.

"...Right, well, I'm here, and it looks like everyone else is ready."

"Only if you are, Rintarou."

Exhaling from Kurisu's remark, he nodded towards Daru, smiled from Mayuri's mirthy nod of approval, and then lowered down to Maho, who was now gazing up at him, her smaller limbs squeezed around his sides.

_Hey, you._

"I'm ready if Miss Hiyajo is."

Nose wrinkling with a trade of small amused expressions, Maho's chin rose further towards the sky.

"She is, so let's go!"

"Go where, exactly?"

"Chomp Chomp Akiba."

"Oh, hell yes!"

"Mayushii's only been there once, but she doesn't remember where inside it was."

"We're going to figure that part out when get there, don't worry."

"...Which will take maybe five minutes."

"Hey, whatever man. At least it isn't far away."

"One block southeast-ish."

"However, if some among us prefer to have a longer commute, head north, and then east."

Several eyes followed the lengthy extension of Okabe's arm, pointing past the planted trees towards the UDX center.

"...And then south at the next intersection."

Recognizing the described path, Maho spun around, and her right hand curled around his extended forearm, sliding down to his wrist and comically towing him along into motion by his already-outstretched arm.

"I vote we go where he says!"

Plowing the group in two in an unwavering procession, Maho's face curled into a smirk as the others were swept into motion, and four taller people easily caught up to her pace on both sides, heading towards the street several paces ahead.

"Lead the way, senpai."

"Loli-tan's on a tiny imperial march! _WIN!_ "

"Ehehe, don't get in her way, Daru! She'll walk right over you."

"Not entirely a bad thing..."

"Wow, Hashida. One of those?"

"Oh, it depends on my mood, Makise-shi."

"He means that because he likes being strong and supporting beneath everyone!"

"Umm, Mayuri, I'm not sure... Actually, you know what, _yes_. That's exactly what he means."

Trading amused expressions back and forth between the other three, Okabe then focused on the elegantly fashioned updo of hair ahead of himself, speared by chopsticks and bobbing from Maho's proud stride across the tiled concrete.

_It wasn't so long ago that we've wandered this way on a prior evening... I can already tell this is why she chose this path so readily._

Seeing her head turn in a peek back at him, emerald irides gleaming with excitement, her response seemed to be silently answered by her physical motions.

_...Without a doubt. I knew there was a reason I wore this shirt._

* * *

**Yodobashi-Akiba Camera, Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:09p.m.**

Meandering past the broad, gently curved facade of a large commercial structure, the lab members squinted at varying times as they moved through low-angled shadows of planted trees, streetlights, and rooftops alike. Heading south along a small avenue towards the eastern end of Akiba's elevated train station, parallel lines of steel and glass lined the length of the building, spanning the road ahead in a series of man-made tunnels and caves tucked underneath, and reflecting the opposite horizon, colored in a warm palette by the setting sun. Keeping just behind Mayuri, Daru, and Kurisu, having slowly given up the lead of their journey towards supper, Maho retained a secure grip of Okabe's hand, glancing at the slowly swaying connection with regular mirth-laden reaffirmation.

_Remember how my heart was beating the last time we were walking these streets? 'Cause... Yeah. Feeling that all over again. Feeling and remembering all kinds of things, actually. I'm sure you're going through your own memory album too. I know you are. Don't think I don't see all that excitement brimming on your face... Your face that needs to let that goatee grow out so I can touch it... Hehee._

Unable to resist a bubbling giggle that escaped her throat, she looked away across the street as Kurisu's head turned. Then, with a cautious peek back, she promptly discovered Okabe looking directly at her instead.

"Hi."

Grinning as her tiny greeting curled the corner of his mouth, her brow rose with brewing mischief, only to flutter in a bat of her untamed lashes, tickling Okabe into a chuckle among their otherwise quiet footfall.

"Up to no good back there?"

"Always."

Alighting upon Makise after Maho's automatic retort, and then Mayuri as both of them peeked back with oddly similar smiles of approval, both computer scientists maintained quirked brows, moreso as the young women burst into laughter, gathering Daru's attention to the scene as well.

"Did I miss something?"

"Yep."

"...Besides mushy normie stuff?"

"Oh, then nope."

"Eheh, Mayushii knows Daru gets mushy for his two-dimensional girls."

"Those babes were hard-earned, Mayushii. Its hard _not_ to be mega-attached them."

"Talking dating sims, are we?"

"Hell, I practically live in them."

"Lovely."

Stifling a laugh from Maho's punctual response towards Daru, Kurisu looked aside as the five of them entered the shadow of the station.

"...And while Daru keeps the virtual ladies company, the rest of the world finds actual romance in the third dimension."

"Yeah yeah, that's all you, dude."

"Though oddly enough, I seem to recall you citing a recent approval of real women too, but, surely that's just my own misconception..."

Eying Okabe with a mildly flustered expression, a round of quiet laughter ensued as the group's pace slowed.

"Alright, I mean, if some bombshell babe fell into my lap... Obviously I wouldn't pass her up."

"Obviously."

"Your circumstantial bar might be set a little high there, Hashida."

"You never know, miss Makise."

"Right. Keep up that optimism then."

"Can do, nurse!"

Squinting from the return of fading sunlight on the opposite side of the station, Okabe's attention rose to the left in realization.

"Anyway, for those unaware, we have arrived."

"Huh? Oh, sweet!"

"This is the place?"

Nodding excitedly from Makise's query, Maho's chin rose as her eyes drifted along the curved corner facade of Chomp Chomp Akihabara, reaching high into the fading sky.

"Sure is!"

"Did anyone even decide on where in here we're eating?"

"Umm, not yet, no."

"What was the place you two went to?"

Nodding further upward towards the curved billboards mounted on the building's corner, Okabe peeked aside as Maho's arm shot upward as well.

" _Bar MARGO_ , way up there."

"Hmm."

"Isn't there a directory?"

"Should be one just inside."

"Why don't we go in and see what sounds good. Right now we're just shooting in the dark."

Shuffling in through the nearby entrance after several paces, the five of them formed a circular congregation around a busily labelled bilingual sign, listing the establishments on each floor.

"Hmmm... There's ten levels, actually."

"Mayushii can't decide quite yet. All of these sound good."

"Oh, jeez."

"Top floor sounds expensive."

"I've already have enough Italian back in America... Kinda leaning towards that one. Floor five."

Squinting closer at the Japanese characters, only to switch back and forth to English words listed beneath, Maho slowly began into a nod of agreement.

"I second that, actually."

"Ooh, Mayushii thirds the hot plate goodies!"

"I'm down too."

Realizing all four lab members were now turned towards him, awaiting his response, Okabe shrugged with amusement.

 _Since everyone's made up their mind..._ "Let's check it out then."

* * *

**Teppan 200°C, Chomp Chomp Akihabara, Kanda-sakumacho, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; 6:21p.m.**

Gathered together on darkly stained wood booths, seated less than a minute beforehand around the warm slab of steel inset into their table, all eyes turned towards an approaching waiter laden with folded menus.

"Good evening, how is everyone tonight?"

"Wonderful."

"Awesome."

"Good as ever."

Nodding as the menus were dispersed to clamoring hands, the waiter then produced a notepad, and Makise discreetly smiled from the sight.

"Excellent. Any drinks to start? Water or tea, perhaps?"

"Water."

"Red Sangria."

"Mayushii will have ginger ale."

Scribbling onto the notepad, the waiter's pen then pointed towards Maho, and her menu flopped flat onto the table.

"Black Oolong Schochu... Sounds amazing."

Smiling with a further scribble, he then looked onward to Okabe, who's attention rose distractedly from the following pause.

"I'm... Still deciding."

"Water for now, gotcha. We'll have the rest of them out right away."

"Thank you!"

Watching Kurisu's attention follow the punctual departure of the waiter, Maho's cheek curled into a hint of a smirk, only to fade as she looked aside towards Okabe's distracted browsing through the menu.

"Know what you want?"

"Getting there."

"Lots to choose from, huh?"

"Certainly is."

"Anything catching your eye?"

Exhaling from her incessant questions, only to smile as her shoulder came to rest against him, his head tilted aside.

"I assume you've already decided on your entree...?"

"Nope. Barely looked."

"And yet you're set on interrogating me for my decisions."

"Mmmhm! Just curious about what interests your taste buds."

"Ah, well, I'll admit I'm in the mood for something meaty."

"Me too."

"...Whether its livestock or fish, however, I have yet to determine."

Rising from his arm as he turned a page in the menu, Maho then browsed idly through her own, vision settling on English words interspersed among the native Japanese characters. Looking beyond the the top of the page, she then watched with increasing interest as Makise's index finger tapped and drug along the laminated page, laying flat on her side of the table.

" _I spy the American among us_."

Blinking from the errant English statement, Kurisu's expression formed a cheeky half-smile.

"Yeah, guilty. The queen's English is a bit faster than Kanji and Katakana."

"I could argue against that."

"Only because you were born in Okinawa, senpai. You have the advantage as an island native."

Shrugging amidst a stifled giggle, Maho's attention then settled onto several lines of moderately broken English on the menu, only to realize Okabe was leaning closer, nudging her shoulder.

"Amer-ican english?"

Grinning from his attempt, Maho sat back in her seat, studying his curious eyes as they inspected her menu.

"Yeah. Kurisu is reading the translations. I just happened to notice."

"I see."

Looking back and forth at the identical menus with continued curiosity, Okabe straightened upright again, flipping through the pages back and forth.

"To be honest, I've always found English letters to be rather odd."

"They are."

Blinking from her unexpected agreement, he glanced aside again.

"Even to a speaker of the language?"

"Absolutely. English is weird as hell and complex. A lot of it takes loanwords from other languages, and everything else has a silly amount of variety with spelling and pronunciation... As I'm sure you've encountered."

"Yes, I have."

"I don't think I've told you, actually... Kurisu and I sometimes speak Japanese at our university."

"Really?"

"Helps cloak parts of our conversations from prying ears."

Looking across towards Makise, her arms folded and resting on the smooth wood surface, her eyes moved back and forth between Okabe and Maho.

"That explains your ease of conversing after your arrival."

"I'm still learning words here and there, but that's correct, Rintarou."

"The waiter's coming back with our drinks."

Peeking around shoulders to the individual in question, carrying a platter laden with a cluster of beverages, he turned to a halt beside their table and swiftly handed out a quartet of different colored glasses, followed by a procession of ice water to match.

"I'll be back momentarily to take your orders. Anything else needed at the moment?"

"Don't think so."

"Nope!"

"Just this goodness."

"Alrighty."

Vanishing from sight again, five pairs of eyes wandered around the various beverages on the table as hands drug them closer, sampling them through individual straws and creating a cloud of satisfied hums and swallows. Left out from the collective experience, however, Okabe watched as Maho took in several swallows of her glass, finger tapping on the table's surface.

Noticing his patient fidget seconds later, Maho turned aside, drink in hand, and her eyebrows rose from his expression, blowing the straw from her mouth and sending it into a spinning around the rim.

"Oolong, right?"

"Yes sir. I'm a bit of a black tea fiend. Love it in almost any flavor." _Especially a good batch of Bergamot... Oh, even now you tempt me, Earl Grey._

"Ah."

"Wanna try it?"

"That's... Mixed with Schochu?"

"Mmhm."

Waiting patiently as his hand drew near, she then shoved the glass into his palm cheekily, and he hesitantly brought it closer, tucking the straw into his mouth. Then, after one swallow, and then another, his lips released the tube.

"Pretty good, actually."

"See?"

"Trying something new there?"

Glancing towards Kurisu, Maho promptly nodded for him.

"He's not much of a drinker."

"That's never a bad thing."

Studying the humble Japanese student as his mouth enveloped the straw again, Kurisu lifted her own glass of red Sangria to her lips.

_...Partly because when the lightweights do drink, it doesn't take much to get them going. Like senpai here... That glass will be gone by the time food arrives, and she's going to be red cheeked and hilarious. Can't wait to see how both of the lovebirds are when they're buzzed!_

Realizing the waiter's swift footfall was swiftly returning, Maho plucked the half-empty beverage back into her hands, unable to resist a giggle from the staff member's humorously pointed look towards the couple.

"...Another Oolong Schochu for the gentleman in red?"

"Yes."

"Probably a refill for mine as well."

"Coming right up. Do we all need more time to order?"

"I'm ready."

"Mayushii is too."

"I think we all are."

"In that case... Ma'am?"

Peeking aside as Kurisu began speaking first, Maho's face curled into a distracted grin as Okabe sat back in his seat, noticing her seconds later.

"It seems you've finally weakened my resistance towards strong beverages."

"...You did like it, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll enjoy your own glass. Promise."

"I'm not worried."

Eying him fondly, her attention slowly returned to the in-progress ordering seconds later.

_Haha, I think I'm about to see a tipsy Okabe... This should be fun._

* * *

"...That's the point where I realized that the server database I was in, was definitely not something your normal user can access... Oh _man_."

Following the direction of Daru's expression as his speech unexpectedly ended, a sumptuous waft of freshly grilled and cooked food enveloped the table, and ten hungry eyes inspected the newly presented offerings, carried by two other members of the restaurant staff.

"Here we are... Grilled Chanpon?"

"Back here."

Watching a platter of noodles appear, topped with portions of seafood and steaming vegetables, Daru's thick arms rose onto the wood surface as the dish descended onto the warm steel in front of him.

"Awesome."

"Sakurajima Chicken... with Soy Sauce."

"That's Mayushii's!"

"Fuwatoroyaki, with Shrimp and Avocado."

"Right here."

Watching as the opposite side of the table was stocked up with meal sets, Maho's hands remained on her lap, leaning left and right with a fidget of hunger and anticipation, only for the final two servings to appear together.

"Lamb short ribs...?"

Seeing Okabe silently raise his hand in the corner of her eye, Maho's focus remained tethered to the marvelous looking slab of sheep passing in front of herself.

_Dang. Made up your mind, did you?_

"And grilled beef with green onion, for the misses."

Eyes widening as a hearty flank of grilled and seasoned meat came to rest in front of herself, her lips parted with quite pleasant surprise.

_Hoho, my god, yes._

Waiting impatiently among the others as a bowls of salad, Miso soup and additional plates were tucked in among the entrees, Maho then observed as both of the staff members then stood back, offering a bow.

"Enjoy!"

Collectively watching as the servers vanished elsewhere into the depths of the restaurant, the table then churned into a motion as five pairs of arms began preparing their respective meals, only to start tearing into them moments later, beginning an increasingly longer moment of silent chewing and swallowing, only interrupted by the occasional scrape and clatter of utensils and chopsticks.

_You can always tell when the food's good... Cause everybody shuts up._

Cutting and spearing another partition of grilled beef, gathering a swipe of rice in the same forkful, Maho's cheeks remained rosy as ever as she stuffed them full of dinner.

_Humm... I know I'm going to pester him for some of that Lamb... But right now the carnivore in me is stupid happy with this big-ass chunk of beef. Plus with the loads of food everyone has... There's bound to be leftovers to prey upon, which means all your noms are belong to me! Muahaahaaa...!_

"Mayuri, can you pass... Yep, thanks."

"Fairly surprised you're consuming leafy greens, Hashida."

"Tsk tsk, Okarin. Just cause I'm a big guy doesn't mean I don't enjoy my veggies."

"True. I suppose we don't stock much in the way of wholesome foods back in the lab."

"Do you guys ever cook?"

"We have. Typically just for holidays, or whenever someone feels like it."

Squinting as Okabe's attention descended towards his plate again, Makise then glanced aside to Shiina seated next to herself.

"I hope you guys don't make Mayuri do all of the cooking."

"No-no, we don't..."

Watching with a quirk of an eyebrow as both Okabe and Daru looked away with guilty expressions, Kurisu then glanced towards Maho, who simply sat, busily chewing and mind wandering elsewhere.

"Mayushii isn't the best with cooking from scratch, but she's alright with heating up pre-made food!"

"I'm not sure microwaved meals really count..."

"Aww."

"...But there's a lot to be gained from learning how to cook. Have you considered taking classes?"

"Sometimes, but Mayushii is already pretty busy, so she hasn't gotten around to it yet."

"That's quite alright. Its never too late to learn how."

"Yeah. One day Mayushii's gonna whip up something that'll really knock everyone's socks off!"

Smiling bemusedly as he chewed, Okabe looked on towards Daru as the overweight hacker rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure you will, May."

"Anyway... For how often all of you are in there, I'm more or less surprised you don't cook that often."

"Some of us are able to subsist on servings of instant ramen."

"And juicy chicken!"

"...And the occasional Obento."

Eyes meeting from Maho's chiming in on the matter, Makise watched the churning of her best friend's busy cheeks.

"Occasional, huh?"

Swallowing to speak, Maho speared a forkful of salad with her fork, briefly inspecting the captured greens.

"Hey, I'm not nearly as bad as the professor was. He had one almost every day."

"I don't doubt it. Mister Leskinen's eating habits leave much to be desired."

Realizing she had additionally gathered Okabe's attention, Kurisu lowered her fork to rest on her plate.

"Did you end up meeting him, Okabe?"

"I did, but for only a short time after the expo."

"Ah. Found yourself too busy talking to Maho, hmm?"

"Precisely. He introduced me to her, and from there..."

Looking down to Maho as her updo swung aside, her verdant irides displayed endless mirth as their gazes temporarily connected, and his lips parted among a fond smile of memory.

"...The rest is recent history."

Quietly giggling from the scene, Makise glanced aside to Mayuri, only to realize the young woman beside her had brought her cell phone into her hands.

"Alrighty, mister and misses programmers. Give me big nerdy smiles!"

Blinking from the obvious click of a shutter, Maho ceased chewing in realization, only to flop her head aside against Okabe's upper arm.

_Candid camera, huh?_

"That's better. Maho-chan makes Okarin smile, doesn't he?"

Bursting into a giggle from the purposefully teasing speech from Mayuri, she peeked up towards him, seeing a hint of his messy hair among the rapid sequence of shutter sounds.

_He certainly makes me smile, Mayuri._

"That's because Okarin is a confirmed loli fan, regardless of his normie temptations."

"Hehee, I think anyone would be smitten by a girl as cute and fun sized as Maho-chan."

"I completely agree, Mayuri."

"See? Even misses Makise is a fan of lovely little ladies."

"She's my bestie! How could I _not_ adore my cute little senpai?"

Chuckling between mouthfuls, his cheekbones tinted with mirth from the ongoing conversation, Okabe exhaled from his nose, preparing another bite of lamb on his plate.

_Ironically enough, Hiyajo-san here happens to be the eldest of all of us at twenty-three years... And in any case, as I once put it, her limited height is of no matter. The important part is being able to see eye-to-eye on any subject. When people can agree and understand, anything is possible._

Vision drifting down to the pale, youthful woman seated close beside him, his chest tingled with ongoing elation as her leg brushed against his beneath the table.

_Although, admittedly... Her petite stature certainly makes her adorable. Her big green eyes... Make her magnificent. That teeny little smile tucked beneath her nose... Good heavens._

Gazing at the slender profile of Maho's face, her cheekbones remaining persistently pink, his vision then wandered to the crossed chopsticks tucked into her hair as she reached for her glass of Schochu.

_...And that, almost goes without saying. Such a mighty mane, tamed into elegance. How do you do it?_

Imagining her with much shorter hair, his brow lowered with ongoing curiosity.

_I wonder... How long has she had her hair so lengthy and free-willed? I should ask her sometime. In the meantime however, I'll just admire the work of art that's adorning your... Head._

Thought concluding as she looked directly at him, his chewing paused as he realized the table was otherwise silent, seemingly expecting a response. Eyes drifting towards the others, seeing a variety of cheeky smiles blooming on their faces, a wave of temperature fluctuation rippled across his skin, and he looked back towards Maho with embarrassment.

"...That a no?"

"S-Sorry, I'm... I wasn't paying attention for a moment there."

"Space cadet."

"Be nice!"

"Kurisu was just asking if you've been to Mount Fuji."

"O-Oh. Yes. I have. Its not that far away, really."

"If you take the bullet train."

"Yeah. Screw driving there."

Exhaling with marginal relief, he prodded the cut of lamb on his plate with his chopsticks.

"We took the Shinkansen, yes. That was probably ten years ago."

"Mayushii remembers Okarin talking all about the trip when he came back. He liked it more than he's saying."

Trying poorly to save face, he stuffed the slice of meat into his mouth, and a blush persisted as Maho nudged against him among light laughter.

"So little Okabe _did_ venture out of the city."

"I did, a time or two. It happens."

Admiring the persistent blush on his features, Maho's eyes settled onto the stubble adorning the ridge of his jaw, only to lower further to the red and black folds of his shirt's collar.

_Mystery, and magic. All wrapped up into one tall package._

Nestling her sock-covered toes against his ankle, unseen beneath the chaos of a busy dinner, her free hand drifted away from the teal fabric of her blouse, and her fingers unfurled, settling atop his thigh.

_Figured a little booze would get you all red-cheeked and goofy, huh? You're freaking adorable right now._

Squeezing his leg, a passive caress of her thumb began near the bottom hem of his shorts, and after a little while, her attention slowly returned to the meal, bringing a fresh forkful of still-warm food to her mouth.

_Handsome, and silly. Can't get any better than this!_

* * *

Sucking the last vestiges of tea and liquor from the remainder of melting ice in her glass, Maho lazily inspected the steel plate in the table, with a glow of warmth emanating from it in much the same manner as it did from Okabe's palm in her grasp.

_One giant chow-down later, annddd even I've hit my limit. Sigh._

Wandering aside to a pair of empty plates in front of him, she squinted at the sight with approval.

_That lamb was good... Clearly, since he wolfed it down. Haha. Every time I eat with him, he demolishes anything he's served. Sure explains his height._

Hopping across the table, spotting fragments of entrees and largely-untouched sides still sitting on the hot plate, a breath pulled into her lungs, expanding her chest outward.

_Good thing is, there's portions remaining unconsumed, which means there's a chance for -_

"Dessert?"

Startled by the vocal appearance of their waiter, heads whirled towards the young man, only for eyes to wander away from the spoken offering.

"Oof. Probably not."

"I'm good."

"Mayushii's had enough, but thank you."

Eyebrow quivering from the unexpected challenge, remembering an item from the menu that caught her eye nearly an hour before, Maho's index finger rose from her glass as she looked firmly towards the waiter.

"One of those red-bean pancakes."

"Doroyaki, alllright. Anything else?"

Eying the quartet of otherwise satisfied expressions and full bellies, the waiter then smiled, pocketing his order pad with a click of a pen.

"Maybe just the checks."

"Oh, and boxes!"

Nodding towards the red-haired girl nearest to himself, the young man turned about face with a conclusive smile.

"Sounds good."

"Aren't you full, Maho?"

Smirking slightly from the expected question, she turned the glass in her fingers as the waiter vanished from sight again.

"There's always room for dessert." _Especially for a fresh pancake._

"That's true, but, wow."

"Loli-tan's appetite surpasses her size ten-fold. Amazing..."

"Were you aware of this, Okarin?"

"Truth be told, dining with Hiyajo-san quickly reveals the might of her metabolism."

"Burning through everything she eats with the white-hot fury of a blast furnace."

Bursting into a giggle from the back and forth quips, Maho's eyes rose above the table, displaying mirth on her tender cheeks.

"Whatever you want to call it."

Sitting back into the booth, her head slumped onto her shoulder, lazily eying the movements of patrons and employees alike, giving animation to the otherwise still decor.

_Sadly, for as much as I may eat, none of it goes to my stature. That's the brutal irony of it, and..._

Blinking as the prior pair of staff from before appeared with dutiful haste, a stack of Styrofoam boxes was placed on the end of the table, along with the check, and a plate appeared in front of Maho with a visibly fresh, fat pancake, leaving her momentarily wide eyed.

_...And, I swear we asked for all this maybe a minute ago. That was fast. Huh._

Watching as the cartons were distributed among those seated opposite, she then began smiling cheekily as Kurisu closely inspected the receipt.

"Covering the whole tab...?"

Looking across to Maho and back at the slip of paper, the red-head's expression remained entirely unchanged.

"Yeah, no. Going to decline that one before my card declines me."

"I thought you weren't worried about money."

"I'm not. I just assumed everyone was paying for their own orders."

"Mayushii is, so don't worry about her."

"I was also under that impression too."

Deflecting Daru's pointed look with ease, Okabe's eyes wandered elsewhere as he began digging for his wallet.

"Right, yes, I agree."

"Thought so."

Readily dragging a knife through her dessert, the dull blade suddenly halted halfway through its task, and Maho looked aside as Okabe's leather wallet appeared in his grasp, only to eye him pointedly.

_Um, no. You put that away._

Seeing his eyebrow lift from her unwavering look, his head tilted in a single questioning nod, and she slowly blinked.

_I've got you covered. Promise._

Slowly smiling as his hands sank back beneath the table, carefully slipping the object back into his shorts pocket, she then swiped her knife into a new path through the broad pancake, creating a wedge-shaped partition.

"Got an empty plate?"

Attention returning to her, he watched as she slid her dessert closer.

"Oh, I'm..."

Retrieving the last remaining clean platter as the remainder of the table's dishes were cleared, he sheepishly slid it over, watching as a mass of batter flopped onto the dish.

_...Having this, apparently._

"Ever have one?"

"I have, yes."

"Mkay!"

Happily returning back to her own larger serving, she began dividing the dessert further, stuffing one whole slice into her mouth second later, and Okabe's eyes sank towards the treat with uncertainty, well aware of his already-full stomach.

_...Right. As she said, always room for... Doroyaki._

At first going for his chopsticks, he looked between the wedge of flat pastry and the thin rods of plastic beside the plate, facing an upcoming difficulty of food manipulation, only to have an unused bundle of metal utensils offered across the table from Mayuri. Meeting the eyes of his oldest friend, he smiled bashfully from her humored expression, accepting the collection and unrolling them from the napkin binding them together.

"Thank you."

"Mm! But if Okarin can't finish his dessert, Mayushii will gladly have red bean goodness too."

Facing the prospect of both young women scavenging the pancake, he turned the fork into his grasp, sinking the tangs into the gooey flesh.

"We'll see, May." _I may just let you have a majority of it and spare my poor digestive tract... Depending on how good this actually is, of course._

* * *

**Yodobashi-Akiba Camera, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:08p.m.**

Shuffling along in a return heading, having previously crossed the same avenue, an oddball quintet of friends wound through evening pedestrian traffic, passing in and out of streetlights and colorful glows of neon and LED signs mounted every which way. Gazing in a continuous orbit at the perpetual motion of vehicles, people and imagery on screens, glancing towards her taller red-haired compatriot who seemed to be lost in the same whirl of visual wonder, Maho's lungs held and released breath, chin held high as she walked between Okabe and Makise.

_We're still tourists... Sort of. For now. Whatever. Its not even that late but this place is already buzzing. That legendary nightlife you talked about, genius. I bet you're gonna go out and party it up later on. I hope you're documenting your experiences cause I'm sure they're hilarious._

Humming with increasing amusement, Maho looped her arms into both Okabe and Kurisu's, garnering both of their attentions and light back-and-forth laughter between them. Noticing Mayuri was peeking around her, Kurisu's face broke into a broader grin as the bouncy young woman linked her and Daru together with her own arms, giggling as a five-wide chain of friends was maintained. Glancing around Makise in an identical manner, Maho then burst into laughter, spreading the contagious cloud of mirth even further as they plodded along the width of the sidewalk.

"Are we going to start skipping next?"

"Only if you're up for it, Hashida."

"I'll pass."

"That's a shame. I was certain you'd bounce along, graceful as ever."

Looking flatly at Okabe, who couldn't resist breaking into a chuckle in response, a trifecta of feminine mirth broke Daru's composure into a reluctant smile.

"That would be awkward as hell."

"And just as funny."

"Which is why it isn't happening, bro."

"Alas."

Looking closer towards Makise's ongoing smile, and then down to a red-cheeked Maho between them, Okabe admired the sweet adoration in her expression with fondness of his own.

"Anyway... I don't know about you four, but I think IIIIIII had the best tasting meal earlier, bar none."

"Yeah, uh, I thoroughly object to your claim there."

"Just because you're one of those American avocado lovers, doesn't mean-."

"Stop right there, big guy. I wasn't citing avocado as the sole reason for my meal's superiority... Thought it may be a considerable part of it."

Looking at Makise in tandem as she geared up for a debate, both Maho and Okabe began listening intently.

"One weird veggie doesn't make everything better, Makise-shi."

"Avocado is a fruit, firstly, and secondly... You can't say that until you've tried it. Avocado is a super food and does wonders for many meals."

"Yeah, yeah. All Americans say that."

"Onion is the same way."

Whirling over towards Maho with a toss of her hair, Kurisu nodded in agreement.

"Correct, and onion goes well with avocado, so they get bonus points."

"Oooh, yes. Give me red onion any day of the week. Especially on sandwiches and, what else..."

Grinning from her food-related rambles, Kurisu peeked across to Okabe, admiring the fondness in his smile as he patiently listened to her best friend's spoken thoughts.

_I don't know if you've realized it or not, senpai... But this boy's a keeper._

Just opposite, leaning closer near Daru's ear, obscured by his bushy brown hair, Mayuri's face split into a cheeky smile.

"Its okay Daru... Mayushii thinks Makise-shi liked our table's waiter earlier."

"Ooh, weak for the wait-staff, huh, miss nurse?"

Chin rising with a light blush tinting her cheeks, Kurisu's lungs deflated in a swift exhale.

"Hey, he was punctual and personable."

"That's his job, genius."

Glancing aside from Maho's added quip, only to realize Maho was looking away with a smile, Kurisu's face rose towards the night sky.

_"Yes, but, the way he wrote on that notepad... It gave me shivers of delight, Maho."_

Blinking from the fully imagined statement, Maho shook her head slightly, and she peeked towards Kurisu's auburn locks, slowly drifting along as she continued speaking to Mayuri and Daru.

_What... I'm sure it did. Weirdo. I saw you eyeballing him._

Rounding a corner and entering the open expanse of the train station's courtyard, passing the concrete pillars of the pedestrian bridge a short distance away, the procession slowed to a drawn-out halt, and the line of friends closed into a circular huddle near the bridge's stairwell. Then, before anyone could speak, Okabe's hand moved out into the middle in interjection.

"Alright everyone, here's the plan..."

Seeing a comical variety of pensive looks exchanged from his suspenseful drawl, his arm then dropped to his side instead, revealing the ruse with a smile.

"...Just kidding."

"What?"

"Wow. I was honestly expecting something."

"Me too."

"Jokes aside, what is our plan?"

"I didn't plan on anything beyond dinner."

"Mayushii was planning on heading home after this, if its alright."

"Same, this dude's got an online meeting to attend."

Eyes migrating towards Kurisu, she simply shrugged.

"My evening is open. Maho?"

"Same."

Finally alighting upon Okabe, his hands pushed into the pockets of his shorts as the other four awaited his answer.

"I'm... Without obligations."

"Well I can see where this is going... See you all later."

Turning aside with a wave of his thick arm, Daru began into a westbound heading towards the lab.

"Byyeee!"

"Later!"

Turning back into a tighter huddle with stifled laughs, Okabe stood still as three attractive young women all faced him.

"Mayushii thinks Okarin's evening is dependent on miss Maho's plans."

"Makise agrees. What _is_ your plan there, senpai?"

Blinking with a blush, an attempt at speech was made, only for Maho's shoulders to bashfully tighten.

"I don't... Know yet."

"Why don't we head back to the hotel, and you two can figure things out from there."

Leaning against Maho with a nudge, Kurisu then eyed her best friend smugly, bending over and whispering into her ear.

" _Unless you already have something in mind_..."

"Sh- _SHUSH!_ "

"Don't deny it!"

"I'm not denying... Dammit, don't you do those mind tricks on me, woman!"

"I'm not!"

"Yes you... Grrr. Whatever."

Rollicking with laughter, Kurisu stood upright, folding her arms proudly and leaning closer to Mayuri as Maho peeped up towards a patiently waiting Okabe, only for her huff to vanish.

"You don't have anything to do?"

"Nothing to speak of."

Squeezing their paired hands back and forth, she then tilted her head, her bow-tied shoe pawing at the tiled concrete beneath.

"Um, then would you like to hang out still?"

"Of course."

"I mean, until your curfew, whenever."

"Right. What time is it now?"

Seeing two different phones appear and illuminate beside them, Mayuri was the first to speak.

"Quarter after eight."

"Oh. Not really late, is it?"

"Nope."

"Mayushii should probably be on her way though."

"That's fine, honey. Thanks for coming along with us!"

"Mmhm! Everyone was great fun and my Sakura chicken was real tasty. Oh, and miss Makise?"

"Yes?"

"Actually, Maho-chan too. Make sure to tell Amadeus-chan all about our adventure today!"

Blinking from the unexpected request from Mayuri, Maho looked aside to Kurisu, who was already nodding.

"We'll be sure to."

"Yay! Um, I'll let you go, cause I need to make sure to catch my train, okay?"

"Go ahead, sweetie."

"Okay, _byyeee!_ "

"Seeya!"

"Good night, May."

Looking towards his childhood friend as she sauntered away, Okabe watched as Mayuri eyed him with a feisty smile, only to burst into a giggle as the trio began into motion in the opposite direction.

_Right. Keep myself out of trouble. I remember your earlier messages of advice, Mayuri. Rest assured, I... Actually... I have no idea what's about to happen._

Turning forward, led along by Maho's hand now clasped around his palm, his mouth opened, and then shut, seeing both young women looking back at him with differing expressions of amusement.

"What a darling."

"She's probably the sweetest person I've met in any country."

"And to think she's best friends with Okabe-san here..."

Attempting to hone in on their quiet conversation, both young women then looked back at him, bursting into laughter as a crooked smile lifted half of his cheek.

"You know what they say about eavesdropping, Rintarou."

"Um, hey! Says you! You've got radar dishes for ears, gossip queen!"

"That's because I need to stay up to date with every situation. Evaluation of incoming audio is essential to existential interpretation of one's environment."

"Uh, huh. That's a screwy way to say you listen in on everyone's conversations."

"There's datum to be gleaned from every source, senpai."

"Guuhhh."

"Right, Rintarou?"

"Huh? _Ah_ , um, yes."

"See? He was listening."

"You are unbelievable."

"I prefer the term ineffable."

"Yeah, your ego, maybe."

Quietly amused by the ongoing banter in front of himself, Okabe's chin rose, remembering a distant realization months before as they moved across an expanse of striped pavement.

_Curious to consider Makise used to be an opponent of sorts for Maho... You'd certainly never assume so with their friendship now. Speaking so cordially, best of friends... Enough so that Hiyajo-san was willing to bring her here to Tokyo, to meet me and everyone else. There's certainly trust present there... And I imagine Maho feels quite confident about our circumstances to have us meet. Clearly she values our, um, relationship, otherwise... I can't imagine she'd go through all the effort, and say all the things she has in times prior. One doesn't fly across five thousand miles of ocean without good reason for it._

Smiling warmly, his eyes rose towards the night sky, seeing a spare few twinkles of stars fighting through the metropolis' light pollution.

_Besides... There's still a starry night sky she wants to show me someday, and for that... I'll wait as long as it takes._

* * *

**Thursday, May 3rd, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:32p.m.**

Breaking off from their procession, keycard already in hand as they rounded the corner into the upper-story hallway of their hotel, Kurisu accelerated ahead, only to screech to a halt and whirl towards her door, vanishing inside after a faint beeping of an electronic lock.

"She in a hurry?"

"Guess so. I have no idea what for."

Coasting to a halt near her door as it slowly shut on its own, both Okabe and Maho waited with curiosity, only for the passage to swing open, and Kurisu to appear with a tan coat, pulling it onto her shoulders one by one.

"Um, its definitely _not_ cold out."

"Forecast says there might be rain later, check it."

"Has been fairly humid all day."

Looking back and forth between their responses, Maho's brow quirked.

"Still... You heading out?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Living it up in the Akiba nightlife?"

"The only place to be at this hour."

Grinning as Maho simply blinked, Kurisu's hand settled on her friend's shoulder as she drew closer, pulling her door shut and slipping the keycard into the pocket of her denim shorts.

"You two have fun now!"

Looking over their shoulders as she hustled away in a long-legged stride, red hair swaying as she rounded the distant corner, both computer scientists remained still from the vanishing sight.

"She's a... Neuroscientist, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"I just feel like... Given her profession, it seems like she ought to be a little more, _well_ , boring."

"Oh, she's quiet and focused when it comes to research. She's just got some kind of eccentricity that switches on when she's outside of the university."

"I can tell. Boundless energy?"

"Loads of it. She always finds ways to alleviate boredom."

"Hmm."

"Anyways..."

Leaning against him in a nudge, her head rose in a toss of dark bangs, gathering his curious attention with a bloom of desire.

"...My room is just up the way. This side."

"Oh?"

"Yes." _So lets just head towards it... Mmmkay?_

Shuffling past, purposefully brushing herself alongside him and scooping his hand in passing, Maho's lips pursed as he stepped into motion with ease, led along by their coupled arms once more.

_Okay. Now that this is happening... Holy crap, where's that card? Hurry up me, you're literally leading Okabe to your own room, and... Hehee. There you are, you magnetic rectangle thing. Go in here, and we'll just be on our way...!_

Pulling the keycard out from the lock above the room's doorhandle, watching a small light illuminate green among an electronic chirp, she shoved the steel lever down in a twist, and with a steadily increasing heartbeat, towed Okabe into the darkness of her room. Dropping the the keycard into her handbag, and then dropping the bag itself aside onto a nearby desk, a breath of excitement sucked into her chest. Tingling with uncertainty as both of them drew to a halt in the entryway of her hotel room, the slow click of the door's latch behind confirmed the closing of the passage, and in a shuffling whirl of movement, Maho released his hand, spun around, and nudged him against the room's wall, pressing him flat against the cool drywall surface with a thump of his body. With an upward slide of her palms, rising along the buttoned fabric of his dress shirt, her slender digits curled in a squeeze around the breadth of his shoulders, thumbs playfully finding his collarbone beneath the crisp folds of his shirt. At first resting her forearms against him, she then leaned closer, settling bodily against the younger male with seeps of exhales leaving their chests.

_Alrighty._

Eyes meeting in the dark room, with only a hint of city lights entering between the slats of the window's shades, her fiery-eyed expression of excitement kept his focus solely on her womanly presence, parting his lips from the situational uncertainty as her digits drifted around his shoulders and down along his arms.

_I may be taller, but in truth, I think I'm pretty much powerless against this grown woman... Which is probably to be expected, considering she's ooookay, now we're moving elsewhere, uh..._

Towed into motion again by both arms, captively bound by her soft fingers surrounding his wrists, her smile seemed to broaden as he realized their heading towards her bed beneath the window. Then, with a deceptively innocent spin around with less-than-precise footfall, Okabe's legs found the edge of a mattress behind his knees, flopping back onto the messy sheets in a loss of balance. Blinking as he found himself looking at the roof above, a giggle issued from Maho, who still managed to keep hold of one hand, and he began pushing himself upward with his free arm, a smile on his lips and speech queued in his throat.

"Clearly someone-."

Words halting as a pair of shoes were cast onto the carpet somewhere beyond, his brow shot upward as she shuffled up onto his lap, kneeling onto the mattress around his legs. Seating herself onto his thighs, relinquishing his wrist, her arms snaked around beneath his shoulders, squeezing him into an embrace of nearly matching height.

"Someone is... _What?_ "

Gazing at her small smiling lips as she teasingly spoke, his vision rose further upward along her facial features, drunk on the satisfaction emanating from her expression.

"Well... Something about mischief."

" _Oh_. What kind of mischief?"

Eyes meeting, chest tingling from her voice as her head tilted closer with a perk of her bushy eyebrows, his cheek finally began curling into a smile of its own.

"This kind... Your kind, rather."

" _Yeah?_ "

Heart racing from her continuously teasing responses, her elfin nose playfully nudging aside against his, a single light chuckle escaped his throat between their extreme proximity.

"Yes."

"Mmm. In that case..."

Closing the distance in a swift collision of lips, a familiar hint of dessert and intoxication grazed their tongues as a kiss began and ended in seconds, with Maho pulling away to complete her thought.

"...You are correct."

"I see."

Quietly, breathily laughing from his simple response, she tucked back together with an automatic closure of eyelids, and her right arm retreated from beneath his shoulder, rising up and spreading her palm along his jaw. Caressing his cheek with her thumb as it slowly moved, lips and tongues pushing and dragging in a moist tug-of-war, she then found herself rising upright as one of his arms shoved both of them up into vertical posture. Then, with mild surprise, the great length of his arm drew around her sides, sliding along the small of her back, and his other hand settled to rest near the undulation of her hip.

_Mischief. A funny way of saying I missed you._

Brushing her fingertips up and over his ear, gathering his eccentric hair between her knuckles, her hand wandered further along his scalp, gripping tufts with a gentle curl into her grasp.

_I haven't kissed you all ffffreaking day, so this... This is amazing, right now._

Diving a little deeper into his mouth, beginning a series of shorter and quicker kisses, one eyelid peeked open, only to slap shut again. With a tug away from his face, both eyes rose open among a similarly rising smile, and with an additional retreat of her hand from behind his head, an expression of mild confusion began to appear on Okabe's face, only for her palm to push against the center of his chest. Realizing her intent, he relaxed his posture, comically flopping back onto the disheveled linens beneath.

_Oh, we're not done yet... You just stay put._

Lowering herself with a collapsing of her arms, she crawled over his chest, settling bodily onto him and watching their expressions similarly change with arousal and fascination.

_...Stay put, right here, so I can just... See you like this. You sexy, quiet college student._

Meeting him face to face once more, gazes reuniting a spare few inches apart, the limited light from the window provided just enough to admire Okabe's features, just as captivated by their intimate physicality.

_How did we even get here, huh? I bet you're wondering the same thing. Crazy to think you probably started to like me when I wasn't even trying to impress anyone. In fact..._

Pushing up and reaching behind her head, finding the intersecting shafts of bamboo tucked into her hair, she pulled both out with ease, and then began fumbling with the set of hair ties keeping her updo together. With several strategic tugs, her mane exploded apart into a familiar cascade of length, prompting an unexpected laugh from Okabe beneath her. Tossing the handful of wood and elastic somewhere behind and settling back onto both arms, she smirked as her mane spilled over her shoulders onto him, only to be brushed and scooped back by his hands, prompting a growing blush as she absorbed the repeating motions of his fingers coursing through her hair, clearing it from their faces.

_...Yep. Just as I thought._

Remaining suspended above him, gazing fondly amidst the massaging motions, her eyelids threatened to drift shut, only for his palm to materialize onto her cheek with a mysteriously soft, warm touch. Flitting fully open again, his head tilted aside into the sheets, offering an unexpectedly playful quirk of his eyebrow, and her lips parted with nearly hidden surprise.

_Oh you... You think you can just..._

Plummeting onto his chest with a relaxation of her limbs, swiftly tucking her lips against his, separate breaths left their noses from the sensual re-connection.

_...Just, be all irresistible and stuff._

Realigning their posture in tandem as they began making out, with matching surges of desire coursing through their skin, Maho's fingers began wandering down along the sides of his shirt with exploratory curiosity, inspecting the unseen features of his abdomen shrouded beneath the smooth crimson fabric. Coming to a halt at the hem of his shorts, her thumb curled tightly around one of the belt loops, hand settling flat on his pelvis.

_Come to think of it... I don't think I've ever seen you without a shirt._

Shivering with a tickle as his hand drifted down from her face, warm fingertips sliding gently along her neck, her still-closed eyelids began rising as the quintet of delicate touches drug over the curve of her collarbone, continuing further onto her blouse with silent intent.

_Maybe you're thinking the same thing, cause you're..._

Hands tightening, and physical senses perking as his palm brushed across her breast, she slowed her oral movements as his hand wandered further, delicately sliding around her hip and turning up and over, settling onto her rear.

_...Damn._

Fingers resting between the pleats of her skirt, and his other hand seated on the opposite side of her stomach, Okabe's chest heaved with breath, heart beating with rapidity and mind deftly focused on the similarly wandering set of fingertips that cautiously pried beneath his clothing. Laying still as her fingers halted somewhere on his thigh, a suspenseful hesitation began, inevitably bringing their kissing to a halt. Eyelids cautiously peeking open, instantly finding the expected pair of eyes a mere breath apart, the patient gaze that followed brought smiles to the unseen blushes on their cheeks beneath, and her hand slipped free from his shorts, sliding underneath his shirt instead and spreading across his stomach.

_If I didn't stop myself a second ago... Would you have stopped me?_

Palm wandering aside, turning around his stomach, she gripped his skin with a small squeeze, only for Okabe to suddenly jerk to the side beneath her, eyes wide from the reaction. Shoving herself upward and looking down between their bodies, unknowingly burying his face with a mass of hair, she squeezed the same spot again, and he jerked aside once more, exhaling with a grunt and laugh.

"That's, ahah..."

Whirling back up towards him, her face illuminated with surprise, bursting into a sweet laugh.

"Are you ticklish there?!"

"N-Nope!"

"You sure?"

"I'm, hahaha, _s_ - _stop_!"

Giggling with delight as he squirmed from her repeated squeezes of his stomach, his hand moved to push hers away, only to rise up into her armpit, blasting her eyes open in a mirthy squeal.

"Nooooohh my gos _shhhit_ that's, _you, get, that_... _Heheee!_ "

Clamping her arm shut around his squirming hand, she flopped aside in a furious vigor of movement, beginning a laugh-addled wrestle for freedom and causing Okabe to roll completely over and pounce further onto the bed. Digging his knees into the mattress to gain purchase as she rolled over, he kicked both of his shoes off with a swift alternating of dragging toes, and then crawled over a wide eyed Maho, ending up face-to-face with her excited, blush-laden expression, his hand still captive in her armpit.

"You do realize... If you let it go, I would stop tickling you."

" _Nnngh_ , but, you'd just find other places to _t-tickle!_ "

"I'm sure I will... In due time."

Expression calming as his fingertips stopped moving, chest rising and falling with labored breath, her lips parted after a wandering of thought.

"Okay... Truce?"

"Truce."

Spreading her arm out, allowing his hand to retreat, it simply settled onto the mattress just beneath, supporting his weight. Vision rising along his faintly illuminated skin, up to the rest of his longer body suspended over herself, a hot exhale left her lungs.

 _God you're tall... And handsome as hell._ "Come here."

Eyes meeting after her whisper, realizing the allure present within her voice, Okabe's lips parted.

"I'm already here."

Reaching up and touching his chin, greeted by the hint of stubble lining his well-defined jaw, her thumb caressed his cheek in a sweeping motion back and forth.

"...Come closer."

Lowering with a grunt of precision, settling carefully atop Maho's slender body, he nudged the tip of her nose with his own, only for her to shift upward with a fleeting press of wet lips, before flopping back down onto the sheet beneath. Accepting her invitation with a continued descent, capturing her in another collision of sweet simplicity, they remained together, gently caressing faces and hair with massaging undulations of digits among their kisses.

_Perfect... Just like you._

Resisting a smile, cheeks and neck reddening instead, her heart burned in an inferno of emotion.

_Just like this whole evening too... And now that we're laying here..._

Feeling a rush of cooler air on her lips as he drew away, Maho eyed the younger male as his eyelids appeared to grow heavy.

"Tired?"

"Getting there."

"I don't blame you... Being in class all day, and adventuring with me afterward."

Smiling with humor, his head tilted aside.

"You certainly keep me busy outside of college, yes."

"You keep joining in on the adventures!"

"Given the circumstances... Why wouldn't I?"

Considering a variety of potential responses, she elected to grin instead, watching patiently as his eyes continued to droop.

_Anyway, mister adventure seeker, I don't know what your plan is from here, but for now..._

Flopping her hand onto her bosom, tapping onto the center of her chest with a invitational patter of fingertips, his vision lowered, peeked back at her questionably, and then turned as he shifted himself aside, dropping down onto the mattress with a bouncy slump of weight. Cautiously resting his head onto the center of her chest, his body then settled with relaxation as her fingers began brushing up into his scalp again.

_There. You have a boob pillow, and I can keep messing with your hair... Goof._

Exhaling with quiet mirth, dragging tufts of his dark hair between her knuckles, her eyelids drooped closed as her hand kept moving, only to flit back open again as the bed shifted from his movements. Seeing a phone screen illuminate in midair, revealing his hands holding it, she watched with interest as he set a trio of alarms on the device. Then, with another jostle and a jingle of a small keychain, he reached up with a temporary turn, depositing his phone and wallet onto the adjacent nightstand.

Following his retreating limb, and then seeing him glance up towards her with an increase in heartbeat, she drug her fingernails lightly around his ear, wordlessly realizing his intention to stay the night.

"What time are you getting up?"

"Six."

"Oof. Too early."

"Class starts at eight."

"What time is it now?"

"Quarter till nine."

Processing the numbers, her hand settled to rest on his head.

"Well... Since you're here, we'd might as well get comfy."

"Alright, um..."

"Help me pull the sheets up first, silly."

"Right."

Rising up from her chest and sitting upright, her legs curled closer as she reached forward, gripping the mass of bedding and towing it up and back in a combined effort over both of them, with Okabe carefully spreading the wrinkles and folds smooth with flicks outward.

_Getting into a bed with a woman... Certainly a first._

Turning and finding Maho already laying on her side, lazily peeking towards him, he sank onto the mattress, bringing the remainder of the sheets over his shoulder. Landing on the great comfort of a fluffy pillow, eliciting a yawn from his insides, he scooted closer behind her, delicately tucking up close and then remaining still as she stretched outward, filling the remaining gaps between them and beginning a great spread of bodily warmth.

_And this... Is certainly something._

Tucking his arm around her side, gathering her into the comfort of a spooning embrace, he tucked his nose into her expanse of hair, taking in the scent among gentle, tired breathing.

_...Mostly because you are something, Maho. Something and someone amazing and... Wonderful. Delightful. Certainly huggable and kissable... A variety of pleasant words and feelings, all embodied as one petite person._

Moving his head back along the pillow slightly, only to realize an odd lump meeting the back of his head, his arm wandered back, shimmying under the pillow and finding a furry object with his fingers.

_Hm? What's... Wait a minute._

Gripping the object and pulling it out, only to discern reflective glassy eyes and feline proportions, a smile curled his lips.

_Hello, fuzzy one. Its been a while._

Carrying the feline plush over and depositing it right in front of Maho's face, her head moved, only for her arms to burst out from beneath the sheets, swiftly bringing the stuffed creature and Okabe's hand into a mighty hug against her bosom.

"There's my kitty cat..."

Chuckling from her mumble, only to blink as she released both from her grasp, Okabe watched with captive interest as she sat upright, only to stare at her dimly lit silhouette as she began tugging off her dark blouse.

_Good heavens._

Discovering that a white tank top was hidden beneath the longer shirt, he blinked from the sight of her womanly figure with slightly less clothing as she cast the textile somewhere into the room, only to exhale with a mixture of relief and hidden arousal as she lowered onto the bedding again. Bringing Tucker back into a hug, her head turned towards him in seemingly patient waiting, and he nestled closer once more, resting his bare arm against her side, and cautiously tucking his hand against her stomach as a resumption of warmth bloomed between their bodies.

Nuzzling the back of her head, nearing her ear with a brief lift, he admired the glimpse of a sleepy Maho in his presence.

"Good night." _You emerald eyed enigma._

Gently nudging back against him after his whisper, a murmur buzzed from her throat.

"Goodnight." _You hazel eyed mystery._

Smiling from the punctual phrase in her mind, she reached down and gathered his fingers in her own.

_Sleep tight... And hold me tight, through this night._


	19. 10011

 

 

Whirling out of dreamworld as an unfamiliar musical melody pierced the otherwise silent air, followed by a rattle of vibration, seeps of breath filtered from sleepy lungs, and a lengthy arm carefully extended overhead, grabbing and silencing the device creating the racket of noise. Prying her eyelids open further, eyes wandering along the silhouette of a retracting forearm just above her shoulder, Maho's head turned towards her shoulder, revealing her awakening from the same phone alarm that brought Okabe out of his own slumber.

"Mmmmorning."

Rolling onto her back as the younger male pushed himself upright with a shift of the mattress, tired eyes met as his limbs expanded in an outward stretch.

"Getting up...?"

"Have to."

Blinking calmly, she reached up towards his face, gently poking his nose with her index finger, and then wriggling with amusement as his brow quirked above an early-morning smile.

"...School?"

"Alas, I have to attend today."

"Darn."

Arm flopping flat on the mattress besides his knee, Maho then lay still as he peeled the sheets back and carefully crawled over her legs, dropping onto his feet in a plodding course towards the restroom.

"Ooooo _kabe_."

"Hmm?"

Halting him mere steps away, she pulled the sheets closer to her chin, admiring the long-sought sight of a messy-haired morning student.

"You... Are you showering here?"

"Possibly."

"Mmmkay. Use whatever you need to in there. Alright?"

"Alright."

"I know its girly stuff but, you'll still get clean."

"I, um, understand. Should be fine."

Following his continued stride towards the bathroom, she tugged the sheets further up over her nose, increasingly missing his overwhelming warmth against her back.

_I wish you didn't have to leave... You big cuddly furnace. This bed has been insanely comfy with your sexy butt keeping it warm... Sigh._

Bringing her knees closer, eyelids settling closed as the bathroom's door clicked shut, her imagination began wandering as two different faucets turned on, and a curtain slid open and closed.

_You don't even have a change of clothes, do you? Guess that's what happens when you unexpectedly spend the night somewhere... And yet..._

Nuzzling the pillow beneath her head, Maho's palms expanded, drifting along cooler parts of the mattress.

_Something tells me he's probably just fine with how things went last night._

Seeing a series of fuzzy vignettes wander through her mind's eye, depicting the whirlwind experiences less than twelve hours before, her mouth tucked aside into a cozy little smile.

_I know I am._

* * *

Staring tiredly at the prior day's attire, in the mirror's reflection of himself, Okabe's eyes rose towards the whir of a ceiling vent as it pulled a current of steamy air out of the small room.

_Hmmm. Stopping by the lab anyway, so I can change clothes from there. In the meantime, at least we're fresh and awake... Mostly._

Stepping aside, reaching and twisting the bathroom's damp door handle with delicacy, he paused, flicking both of the room's switches down with his index finger. Greeted with the expected vacuum of darkness and silence, seconds before pushing the door open, his vision discerned a variety of clothing and objects spread across the carpeted floor, revealed by slightly brighter light filtering through the window blinds.

_Perhaps this is what she's hinted at before... Things scattered everywhere in her premises. I've certainly seen worse, and... Oh, there they are._

Spotting his own larger shoes in the shadow of the bed, he swooped across the room with a stealthy padding of sock-covered feet, only to seat himself on the floor, pulling the sneakers onto his feet. With a turn aside, spotting Maho's previously-dumped dress shoes a short distance away, he reached over with a lean, scooping both into his grasp.

_Huh. Never bothered to notice before but... These are fairly small._

Vision wandering towards the lump buried under the bed sheets, a puff of amused breath left his nose.

_...To be expected, though._

Reaching back across and setting the shoes together near the foot of her bed, he glanced over his shoulder, additionally spotting several other small objects scattered near a discarded black shirt, and with a turn onto his knees, he promptly scooped them onto the textile, gathering it into a temporary bindle and rising to his feet.

_Where to... The desk. That'll work._

Setting the collection beside her handbag with near-silence, he then revolved in place, looking towards the faint display of numerical time on his phone, seated on the nightstand.

_And now, the part I think neither of us wants right now._

Migrating over towards the glowing numbers, holding his breath in an effort to maintain silence, he plucked his smartphone from the desk, looking towards Maho's silent sleeping features, nearly obscured by her mass of hair and a tangle of sheets. Pocketing the device, his thumb rested on the edge of the case, admiring the peaceful sight before him with a heavier beating of his heart.

_Alas, miss Hiyajo, I must be on my way._

Gathering his wallet into his other palm, lifting the leather from the wooden surface of the nightstand, his apartment and mail key produced a clear jingle among the room's silence. With a tightening of his hand, gripping the keys in his palm as he shoved the object into his opposite pocket with no further noise, he guiltily exhaled as Maho's eyes lazily peeked open.

_Blast. My apologies._

Smiling wryly from the disturbance, only to wait patiently as she began pushing herself upright with a drawn-out murmur, he found himself mesmerized by the silhouetted sight of an unkempt, blanket-shrouded Maho. Matching his weary early-morning gaze with her own, with reflective glints of eyes maintaining focus in the dimly-lit privacy of her hotel room, her lips parted as if to speak, only to sit back in a slight adjustment of posture as he stepped closer. Watching with fascination as his arm rose, his digits neared her face, only to rise above her brow and begin parting her messy bangs with his middle finger.

_Oh, you..._

Brow rising as he sank down and kissed her now-exposed forehead, both of his hands delicately cupped her cheeks seconds later, drawing her eyes to him again with a magnetic rise of her chin, and a bloom of elation on her features.

_You should wake me up like that next time... Okay?_

Leaning forward and tucking against his chest, burying her forehead into the soft fabric, his hands departed from her cheeks, sliding down behind her shoulders with ease. Arms curling around her neck, keeping her head tucked against him in a snuggling embrace, he remained still, preserving the moment.

_To think I nearly missed this. Excellent work, wallet._

Fondly studying the sheen of morning light reflecting on errant partitions of her hair, he descended further as her head rose, revealing her mane-shrouded face. In an automatic response, he began brushing a thick tuft of hair back behind her ear, only to begin stroking more of her scalp with his fingertips, watching the mystifying change in expression as she absorbed the physical sensation with silent pleasure. Then, with an exchange of simple smiles, she tightened her embrace around him, nuzzling his chest with her nose in a side-to-side motion and exhaling against him with a concentrated puff of heated breath.

"Don't... Be late cause of me."

"I assure you I won't be." _And in the grand scheme of things... I could sacrifice a few more minutes to let this last longer._

Turning her head aside, tingling from the pleasant combing of his digits, she lazily studied the silhouette of his upper arm keeping her in his embrace.

_You probably set that alarm early so you wouldn't be in a hurry, didn't you? Knowing you would be waking up here without a change of clothes, and without any of your normal things._

Dragging her cheek along the crimson fabric of his shirt, she peeked up towards the curve of his shoulder.

_Clearly you aren't worried about any of that, because you still stayed the night... Which made for an amazing snooze, by the way._

"Maho."

Heartbeat rising from her spoken name, his arms loosened around her neck, only for his hands to halt on her slender shoulders as she lifted herself away from him.

"I know... You get going, okay?"

Flitting up towards his patient expression, she then nudged one of his hands with her chin, and he laughed lightly.

"You're making it difficult."

"Sorry..." _I just want you to stay here. All morning, and all day. Would that be okay?_

"Its alright."

_'...Because I understand your burning desires, Maho.' That's what you would probably say if we could just have you not go to classes today. But education is important, and I appreciate your dedication to it. That says a lot, and important people notice stuff like that. Trust me._

Rediscovering the smile on his lips, she then burst into an uneven early-morning giggle.

_Yeah. Perfect attendance, versus cuddle time with someone special. Weighing personal responsibility against the fact that I, well... I just want you all to myself. Somehow. Maybe you feel the same way. Don't you? You're being reluctant to let me go... So that might be a yes. Or something._

Keeping his knuckles captive under the velvet curvature of her chin, a sigh began building up in her lungs.

_Something. Sure._ "I seriously feel like I'm going to make you late."

"I promise I won't be."

Quietly releasing pent up breath as his warm hands drew away, her eyes closed in a shiver of longing.

_Damn. Don't actually go. Please?_

"You have a restful morning, alright?"

Smiling from his softly-spoken parting words, she nodded with unseen reluctance.

"Y-You too. I mean..."

Heartbeat echoing as his shoes padded across the carpet floor, a beam of light shone in through the newly opening doorway.

"I know what you mean. I'll see you later today, okay?"

"Okaaay."

Sitting still as he chuckled, aching as his footfall continued to fade, she quickly looked across the room as his silhouette slipped out of sight.

_And I... Will do my best not to melt into a puddle. If you know what I mean._

Shoulders squeezing together, chest searing with longing after his departure, a whimper fought out of the depths of her lungs as the door's latch clicked shut.

_Nope. Melting._

Relaxing her posture, and then flopping aside into the bedding beneath, she rolled over and twisted the sheets into a cocoon-like mass, enveloping her small body in a bundle of thin cloth.

_You left, and I'm kinda sad, but... Damn, Okabe. I'll wake up early for any old morning if I get the kind of sweet cuddly stuff I just experienced from you. That was amazing._

Rolling back over, scooping Tucker Tux into her grasp after forcing her arms out of the blanketry, she stared at the dimly lit entrance to her room, lips parted, and cheeks flushed.

_You're amazing. Obviously. Making me feel like this, day after day... I can't get enough of it. I can't get enough of you, you tall, nerd-tastic sweet thing that's great at kissing and cuddling..._

Burying half of her face further into her pillow, she lay still, allowing the ache in her chest to spread, tinting her cheeks darker among a whirling slideshow of memory.

_I'm obsessed with you, Okabe Rintarou. I love seeing you every afternoon after you arrive from classes. I love doing anything, and going anywhere with you, especially when it involves eating, and talking coding and computer tech, and things we've done and seen and... Everything. There. Literally everything. I could just look at you and listen to you forever, because I love doing both of those too. I love doing anything by your side. Already said so. Sort of. Heh. Hehe. Heheheee...!_

Snatching her phone from beneath her pillow, she unlocked the screen, and after several taps, brought up several recent pictures of him in her phone's image gallery. Pausing on one in particular, and then setting it as her phone's background, she continued giggling beneath blush-laden cheekbones, dropping the device flat against the mattress beneath.

_There. Now your handsome mug is on my phone's main screen for a regular reminder... Of everything I love about you. Your hair, your eyes, that chin, goodness... Your shoulders, up high on that super tall body... Jeez. What else? All kinds of things, I'm sure. Found out you're a little ticklish, that was cute as hell..._

Turning further into her pillow, hiding her face from the world, she exhaled heavily into the squishy object, chest deflating with finality.

"Tucker, buddy, I can't take it anymore."

Listening for an imagined response from the feline plush, she rolled over further, taking in a cool breath from the opposite direction.

"I love him."

Eyes peeking open to the blinds on the window, blocking out most of the sunshine of a new day, her heart pounded with vigor, fueling the buzz of romantic elation spread across her mirthy features.

"He's a huge goofball, and I love him sooo much."

* * *

**Tsukuba Express Line; Taito Ward, Tokyo; 7:37a.m.**

Standing in the central aisle of a Kawasaki-built TX-1000 series railcar, both arms hanging fully slackened from one of the roof straps among dozens of other commuters, a freshly dressed Okabe repeatedly reaffirmed his grip on the thick band, maintaining his balance as the electric train consist hustled north towards Tokyo Denki. Glancing aside to a distracted Daru, seated nearby on one of the benches, he then looked beyond through the adjacent window, allowing a reserved exhale to exit his lungs.

_I'm almost certain I could have elected not to go to classes today... And the world would keep on turning, as always. I haven't missed a day for over a year... Surely it would be fine. Tell everyone I wasn't feeling the best, when in reality, its my emotions hampering my constitutions, not illness._

Rolling his eyes, his brow furrowed from a resumption of pensive thought.

_Certainly is curious... How much one person can lead you astray from your set routines. How tempting is it to just lounge around for a day, in the company of a woman that occupies nearly all of your daydreams...? Very. While I'm sure I made the right choice today... I can't help but feel like there's something I'm missing._

Eyes closing, he smiled with irony.

_Of course there is, and she's laying there in that bed, no doubt dreaming about our time together... Time that's yet again drawing to a close. Perhaps that's what I'm feeling. Its already the week's end, and she'll be flying out again on Saturday evening. Off to figure out how she's going to move back here. In the meantime of all that, she'll still be an ocean away for several weeks, I'm sure._

Holding his breath from the thought, his vision rose to the roof of the railcar, cluttered with colorful advertisements.

_That's going to be the hard part... But I know it'll be worth it. Unlike last time, we won't be left with lingering heartaches, imagining the day we'd meet again... Because we're fully intent on meeting again. I'm fully intent on making sure she's got a place to land... And she's fully intent on seeing me into the future._

Cheeks warming, leaning aside as the train wound through a speedy curve, Okabe looked down as his school bag bounced against his hip after swaying outward.

_Certainly is something... Being most of the reason someone is uprooting and relocating their life. I must mean a lot to miss Hiyajo for her to be willing to go through such effort._

* * *

**Friday, May 4th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:20 a.m.**

Stirring from an unholy rattle beneath her head, only to realize it was the vibration of her smartphone, Maho's hand dug around beneath the pillow, finding the device and pulling it out into visible view.

"Unngh. What time is... it?"

Blinking, attempting to clear away the fuzz of sleep, she squinted at the incoming call, only for a shallow breath to part her lips from the visible time beneath the caller ID.

_Kurisu... Wow. Four hours later, meanwhile..._

Tapping on an icon to answer, and another to put the device on speaker, she rolled upright among the tangle of sheets, dropping the phone onto the bedding.

"Hey, woman."

" _There you are. Morning!_ "

"Mmm... Morning to you."

" _You sound like you're barely awake._ "

"I am barely awake."

" _Long night?_ "

"Oh, no. Sleeping, um, slept just fine."

" _Oh, I deduced that from your time of answering._ "

"Meh."

" _Anyway, senpai, I'm feeling like a brunch and debrief is in order. Think you'll crawl out of bed before eleven?_ "

"Maybe."

" _Great! Meet me across the hall as soon as you're dressed and functional._ "

"Kay."

Eyes rolling as the call swiftly ended, Maho then peeked aside to the window, squinting from the brightness of the sun scorching the exterior.

_No rain clouds today... Not with that early-hour cuddle session starting things off._

Flopping over, and dragging herself towards the side of the bedding with a grunt and a pull of her free arms, she slumped over the side, resting her chin on the edge of the mattress. Looking down as her messy lengths of dark hair spilled over her shoulders, her vision then rose, only to discover a remarkably clear floor, with the prior night's dress shoes tucked away near the foot of the bed.

_What..._

Head rising with an upward shove, only to spot the prior day's blouse laying near her purse, topped by a neat pile of small belongings, she blinked repeatedly, only for her confusion to transform into a sweet laugh.

_He must have done this... And I have no idea when it happened._

Drooping back down over the side, inching further towards the floor below, her chest deflated in a lengthy exhale, interspersed by fatigued giggles as her hands made contact with the carpet floor.

_I really wish you didn't have class today... You adorable mystery. I'd probably be kissing the hell out of you right now. And maybe some other stuff._

Finally losing balance, her waist slid over the edge of the mattress, and the entire bundle of sheets followed her legs as they flopped down onto the floor, joining the rest of her body in a collapse onto the carpeting. Blinking tiredly, staring at the finished wood of the nightstand's feet, she began smiling dreamily among the tangle of linens.

_I think I'm going to tell him how I feel today._

* * *

Scrutinizing her appearance after a shower, dressed in a black graphic T-shirt and dark green athletic shorts, Maho set aside a brush in her hand, trading it for a small pair of scissors as she leaned closer to the mirror.

_Hmm... I see you there, rebel hair._

***snip***

Wrinkling her nose as a tiny snippet fell onto it, and then to the sink below, she set the tool aside, pushing her bangs outward with a swipe of her palm, and then smiling with temporary satisfaction.

_Much better._

Reaching back and gathering her mane in a full-handed battle for control, Maho plucked a trio of hair ties from the sink counter, twisting and releasing two around the beginnings of a thick ponytail, only to blink as the third snapped apart, flinging itself away from her fingers with high velocity.

_...Alright. Two it is._

Eyes widening in a start as her pocket began vibrating, she fished out her blue and white phone, greeted with an inbound text.

_Ooho, the man of the hour speaks!_

'Good morning, or good day, Miss Hiyajo.'

'Both. ^_^ How are yoouuu?'

'Quite well. Classes haven't been much trouble. Steadily approaching lunch period here at the campus as well.'

'Good, and yay!'

'I'm sure you've already been planning your own meal for some time now.'

'Haven't, actually. Kinda slept in some more after you left...'

'Right. I apologize for waking you up that early.'

'No big deal. Actually glad you did. *^_^*'

Leaning forward, arms bumping against the sink counter as a brief pause in the conversation began, she held her breath, awaiting his reply.

'We didn't get much time to talk during that early hour, sadly.'

Exhaling, her thumb churned into motion on the virtual keypad.

'That's okay. Your actions said a whole lot more than worlds could articulate. '

Staring at the screen after sending her response, her heart began thumping in her chest.

_Now that I think about it..._

'Even with my varied vernacular? :)'

Bursting into a giggle, completely dissipating the prior tenseness, she gazed at the screen, with his message appearing above his photographed smile.

_Yes. All those funny and complex things you probably say just for the hell of it... Its amusing and thought provoking, and..._

'Yes. ^_^'

'Right. With that established, perhaps if I'm not sure what to say, I'll just let my actions speak instead from now on.'

'Sounds good!'

'Unfortunately my next period is starting in approximately three minutes. Shall I call you around lunch hour?'

'Yes please. :3'

'Talk to you soon then, my lady.'

'Hehe, later!'

Sighing daintily as she shut off the screen, dropping the device into the depths of her shorts pocket, Maho then turned aside, only to lean against the sink, imagination wandering.

_Just a few more hours, and then..._

Pushing forward and swiping the light switch off, she walked past the room's desk, plucking the keycard from the surface.

_Magic, and kisses, and everything else Okabe is good at... Which is everything I can't get enough of._

* * *

Sitting cross-legged atop Makise's neatly made bed, stirring together the contents of two different foam meal boxes, Maho alternated between plastic forkfuls of leftover entrees from the group outing an evening beforehand.

_Told you guys... All your leftovers, belong to meee._

"...Sooo, after the arcade, myself and my collective entourage ended up at some Karaoke bar, and then that club we went to earlier this week. Didn't pay for a single drink the whole time."

"Mmm. Nice."

"I'm telling you, Maho, all it takes is a cute toss of your hair and a wink, and all the Japanese boys have hearts in their eyes."

"That's just cause you have that Auburn hair you love flipping around."

"What, like this?"

Brushing aside a lengthy lock with an elegant twist of her fingers, Makise burst into a laugh as Maho quietly snickered.

"Yes, that."

"Hey, I can't help the fact that I have my mom's hair color."

"Its the same thing if you're blonde. Everybody here in Japan has dark hair, so you instantly stand out if you don't."

"Or if you're at an unusual height."

"Mm."

"Not talking about you, senpai."

"No?"

"Nope. I'm pretty sure mister Rintarou's height is one of the things that stood out to you right away, wasn't it?"

Slowing her chewing, Maho looked towards Kurisu, uncertain of the playful smirk growing on her friend's face.

"Yes. I'll admit it."

"Uhhhuh. Speaking of that tall boy..."

Swallowing from the ensuing pause, Maho stared at Kurisu's persistently smug smile.

"...How late did he stay over last night, Maho?"

Resisting, and then breaking into bashful smile from the inquiry, she began leaning left and right.

"The whole night."

"Oooh, Maho! That's a surprise! How did you convince him?"

"He, um... Didn't really need convincing."

"Ahh... Won him over with your womanly charms, did you?"

Giggling helplessly, moreso as Kurisu began laughing in addition, Maho's cheeks flushed with mirth.

"A little bit."

"That's fun. Did you two... Happen to reach any bases?"

At first blinking, her lips pressed shut from a spike in heartbeat, and her eyes rolled a little.

"Onneee and a half."

"Half of a base?"

"I mean, we got a little touchy-feely while making out."

"Yeah...?"

Neck burning bright red from Makise's drawl and curious eyes, Maho stuffed another bite into her mouth, chewing vigorously to stall the conversation, only to realize she was still waiting for a response.

"Mmf, yesh. I think if we weren't buzzed and he didn't have to go to class... I don't know."

"I think you do know."

Swallowing, her eyes lowered to the meal in her lap, imagination running wild with intimate fantasy as she gathered another scoop.

"Y-Yeah, but... Probably was best we ended up falling asleep for now. His cuddles were very nice anyway."

"I'm sure other things are twice as nice."

Snorting into the utensil in her face, Maho grunted as Makise burst into laughter.

"Alright, what about you, party girl? Did you bring anyone here into your hotel room after all your shenanigans?"

"I didn't, actually, but I did see a bunch of cute boys while I was out."

"Yeah I bet, you animal. Didn't you say you did Karaoke?"

"Yes, and I rocked it because I can sing in fluent English."

"Wow. You sang and I didn't get to hear it?"

"Yep, but its okay. You were too busy hearing other fun things."

"Shhuuussshhh, you!"

* * *

**Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 2:13p.m.**

_Alright. Per this line, on startup, you will execute... This, which in turn, starts up Daru's resource monitor, which hangs out in the corner quietly until something starts bogging the works down... Which in itself, is dependent on the amount of RAM available in the end user's setup. Four gigs, on this machine. Paltry, really, but enough to get by._

Hitting a keyboard shortcut to save the freshly modified file, Okabe's fingers retracted back, only to curl together near the space bar.

_Computational cruise control... To maintain a steady run-time environment. Complete with adjustable levels of alerts regarding the punishment you're dealing to your system. A little like Amadeus, perhaps, but that marvel of code engineering maintains a steady environment by quietly enslaving the host computer to ensure security and functionality... This little number is bit more lightweight, and simply lets one know what's going on with visual data feedback. In fact..._

Copying the program's executable file onto the window of an already present flash drive, he quietly exhaled.

_I ought to have Maho try this out upon her return to America, since she doesn't have her laptop on hand. Frankly I'm surprised she left it behind, with the importance of her work that resides upon it. Same with Amadeus. She seems to have left that hard drive of hers back in California too. Clearly she isn't concerned about either. I imagine the professor has both in his possession for safe keeping. It sounded like he was doing testing of his own anyway._

Ejecting the flash drive, and stowing it into his bag, he minimized the active window, bringing up an internet browser and opening another tab.

_Hmm. She really did drop everything to come here to Japan again, didn't she? Not for business, or research... Just, me. She specifically said so, and I'll never forget it._

Pausing as his phone vibrated in his pocket, his head turned from approaching footfall, and a hand settled onto his shoulder, revealed to be that of professor Izaki.

"You've got a smile on your face, Rintarou."

Glancing up towards the professor, he offered a small shrug.

_Considering I slept in the company of a beautiful woman overnight..._ "Things have been going well lately."

"Good. That system of yours still functioning alright?"

"Almost there. Still a few more tweaks, as far as I can tell."

"Still in the Alpha stage, hm?"

"For the time being."

"Well don't rush for completion. Everything will come together with enough time."

"That's the plan."

"Excellent."

Waiting patiently as the professor moved on, supervising the work of several other students in a slow progression around the room, Okabe's hands resumed typing on the keyboard, only to halt again, remembering his phone's recent vibration. Reaching down and plucking the crimson device from his pocket, he quickly opened the new message after several taps and swipes, only for his arm to rest on the edge of the desk, reading the text from Maho with swiftly returning fondness.

_Hiyajo-san... I've come to find you excel at making the hours pass quicker than they used to. Certainly helpful for times like this, where I'm languishing in class, and you're out wherever, waiting for my arrival later on._

Heart beating, he exhaled with an unexpected ache building in his chest.

_Not much longer, and I'll be waiting for your arrival instead... Whenever it ends up happening._

Idly browsing through his phone's image gallery, finding a folder with several revered pictures of Maho kept within, he set one as his phone's background with several taps, exiting to the main screen, and then gazing at the image, stirring from the green eyes and sweet smile depicted on the device.

_In the meantime... I suppose I'll just keep reminding myself of all the impeccable and adorable things I love about you... Maho._

* * *

**Rensei Park; Akihabara, Tokyo; 4:47p.m.**

Sitting cross-legged on a bench, bathed by the humid afternoon sunshine, Kurisu's hands remained occupied with the pages of Murder on the Orient Express, ensuring the aged paperback remained gently seated on the the folds of denim in her lap. Tearing through sentences with her usual speed of reading, seen through the tinted lenses of her aviator sunglasses, the sounds of the Japanese metropolis surrounding the small plot of green were overlapped by the gentle trundle and rocking of Wagons-Lits passenger coaches.

_Alright Poirot, master-minded mustachio man... One of them did it, and none of them are getting off the train for a while... You've got this._

Turning a page, rising up to the number, and then beyond the book itself, her vision continued in an upward arc across the park's thin grass, reaching the deep blues of the coastal sky above the surrounding structures.

_Meanwhile... Maho's off on her own, and it doesn't take super sleuthing to tell that she wants alone time with her heartthrob. Once he arrives, at least... Which leaves one to wonder what she's doing in the meantime. She left almost twenty minutes ago, and per prior meetings... He's not due in until half-past five._

Tucking her index finger against the spine of the book, she allowed the reams of paper to close partially, keeping her place within the chapter.

_Probably has to do with the fact that its already Friday. I can't imagine her wasting too much more time, now that our urban vacationing here is drawing to a close._

Looking aside in a momentary distraction, her eyes pensively narrowed.

_That's another thing. She was sad and full of lonely sighs when she came back after the expo in January. How is she going to be this time around, now that those two are probably in deeper with their feelings? Its going to come to a point where she'll be desperate to see him again, and I doubt she's going to put up with a long distance relationship, or paying for long costly flights over and over._

Imagining vignettes of conversations shared in days prior, and then Maho's fond gazes towards her cat plush on the flight, Kurisu's legs uncrossed in an adjustment of posture.

_She did say she was coming here to figure out her feelings... And now that I think about it, she's not just talking about Okabe. She's still technically a Japanese citizen._

Head tilting, looking aside towards the empty half of the bench, a sigh of realization wandered from her lungs.

_Dare I consider it... But I think she's coming to terms with moving here to Tokyo._

Lips pursing from the thought, however, a smile still persisted.

_Homesick, and in love... Ohh, Maho, you adorable little mess. Its about time you took a big leap like this! Life's no fun until you chase the things you dream about. Whether that be the place you call home, or a tall, handsome boy... Or both._

Spreading into a simple grin, Kurisu's head tilted back, with the outer fringes of tree leaves entering her vision in a silhouette.

_Go get 'em, senpai. You've got everything you want, right in front of you._

* * *

**JR Akihabara Station, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:33p.m.**

Mere minutes off of a commuter train, winding down to the ground level through a multi-directional crowd of commuters and shoppers, Okabe's eyes scanned back and forth across his surroundings as he pressed onward, heading towards the station's north entrance.

_Navigating the river of perpetual populace... And no green in sight yet._

Adjusting the shoulder strap of his bag with a swipe of this thumb, weaving around a large group of foreign tourists and brushing against one of the structure's tiled concrete pillars with his sleeve, he then discovered an opening in the passerby ahead, surging forward with a quickening of pace. Touching his fingertips onto the profile of the smartphone in his shorts pocket, he resisted the temptation to grab the device, keeping his attention on the wide entrance of the station several paces ahead.

_Seems to be a recurring instance... Looking down at your phone when someone is already right in front of you. So lets test leaving it put, and seeing if the opposite outcome results._

Stepping into the open air with baited breath, turning aside to exit the path of thoroughfare, he suddenly discovered Maho's presence several paces away, leaning back against another of the structure's outer columns. Halting his footfall in a rotation of surprise, rapidly garnering her attention, her expression illuminated with great elation as she pushed herself free from the structure.

"Okabe!"

Calmly walking towards her as she accelerated into a jog of excitement, his face cracked into a smile, bracing himself for the bodily collision.

_Not quite Boolean... But she was off to the side instead._

Reaching forward as she sprung aloft in a bound, he swiftly captured the shorter woman in his arms as she planted herself into his chest, rubbing her forehead back and forth and clamping her limbs around his back.

"H-Hey."

"Mmmmm... _Hi_."

Dragging her bangs upward along his collared shirt, and then meeting his downward gaze with fiery eyes, she bit her bottom lip gently, gripping the textile behind his back with a curl of her fingers.

"How are you?"

"I'm well. Classes are over with, so I'm..."

Speech drifting away as he recognized her patiently awaiting expression, his expression softened as the rest of the sentence floated away. Then, watching as she stood on her toes, he leaned down to match, meeting her lips in a tender greeting and delaying the conversation further.

_...Free to do things like this._

Dropping flat on her feet, sinking just out of reach and leaving Okabe leaning down towards her, Maho exhaled with expectedly flushed cheeks.

"I get the feeling, you've been looking forward to seeing me."

Intersecting her fingers behind him, her head readily bobbed in a nod.

"I have been." _For hours. Pretty much since you left this morning, actually._

"Well... I'm here."

"I noticed."

Trying to resist nearly matching grins of amusement, both of them broke into tandem laughter, only for Maho to exhale with ticklish surprise as his arms lifted up beneath her armpits. Hoisting her off of the tiled ground beneath and bringing her into a hefty embrace, a grunt left his nose as he adjusted his posture from her weight, and Maho swiftly latched her hands together behind his neck, feet dangling freely beneath.

_Hehee. This is the way to magically get taller... Lifted up by an Okabe, annddd you're falling off. Okay byyeee...!_

Blinking from the distinct slap of an unseen object hitting the ground, Okabe's eyebrow perked as Maho's eyes rolled above a wry smile.

"Was that your shoe?"

"Sandal. Yeah."

Briefly inspecting the various folds of her black T-shirt, with her hair falling in a broad ponytail just behind, a hum of interest emitted from his throat, and she tilted her head aside, planting a ticklish kiss into his neck.

"What's the plan for tonight?"

"Don't have one."

"So... Anything?"

"And everything."

"Right. Are we solo on this one?"

"I told Kurisu we'd meet here around six."

"Hmm. Thinking about food then?"

"Always!"

Laughing lightly from her response, he slowly lowered her onto the ground, watching with ongoing interest as she slid her foot back into her sandal, pulling the back strap around her heel with a tug of her index finger.

"Let's grab a bite, and depending on your friend's input..."

"We should visit the lab."

"Oh. Certainly."

Holding both of her hands out, and then smiling sweetly as he gathered them into his own, a great breath of the metropolis' humid air pulled into her lungs, and she looked up at the early evening light cast by the setting sun.

_Not going to lie... This city has a way with its blue skies and sunsets... Probably because I'm having a great time being here. Mostly because of this one, right here._

Looking beyond him in a wayward wander along their ground-level surroundings, she squeezed his broader palms.

"Let's find a place kinda close to the courtyard here. I'll text her the name of where we're at."

"Sounds good."

Gazing at his calm, ever-patient smile, she wriggled with an electrifying hum and giggle, and then sauntered into motion, releasing one of his hands and reaffirming the grip of the other as she towed him into motion. Initially allowing their arms to slacken, he then stepped forward in a much quicker walk, grinning as she hustled forward, keeping pace with him.

"How was your day anyway, miss Hiyajo?"

"Mine? After you left, I slept in and kinda lounged for a while. Had lunch with Kurisu, hung out, and wandered for a bit until five. Then I came here... And the rest is recent history."

Eying her with a rising eyebrow, countered by her cheeky expression, he nodded with approval as they walked.

"My day consisted of executable files and diagnostic information."

"Oooh. Tell me more."

"Daru's been perfecting a resource monitor that displays tiered complexity levels of information regarding the run-time session of the computer it resides upon... I've since busied myself with designing a containing shell and making the inter-facial elements a bit more user friendly."

"I'd definitely like to see this."

"Funny you mention it... I have said program on my flash drive, with that exact purpose in mind."

"Aww. Am I officially your beta tester?"

"Perhaps."

"What an honor."

"I need a professional opinion on my work after all."

"Oh you goof... Maybe."

Buzzing with mirth, she looked on as their arms gently swayed together.

_I'm hardly a professional, but... Whatever. You just keep on talking, you big bunch of compliment-slinging goodness._

* * *

Sipping from a straw, sunk into the icy depths of a glass half-full of Dr. P, Maho slowly read through a college-rule notebook, heavily laden with notes written in Okabe's penmanship. In just the same manner, Okabe's head rest upon his arm, propped above the opposite side of the table, attention engrossed by the bi-lingual notes and bullet points listed in Maho's notebook.

_Switching back and forth between languages... And yet, which is easier to write? English is strange, as we've discussed, but writing it seems to be easier than it looks. When in America, I suppose..._

Turning a page, met with several sketched drawings clipped onto the already ink-heavy paper, he lifted them up one at a time, poring over the detail, with numerous arrows and blurbs of information residing all around in a multi-faceted explanation.

"I didn't know you could draw like this."

Head rising, seeing Okabe look between several sheets with ongoing interest, Maho simply nodded.

"Just a little. Graph paper helps cause of the lines."

"Still. Converting information into imagery requires skill. Especially when done by hand."

"As opposed to a computer cranking out a chart, right? Bear in mind that a computer must be programmed to do that and other related functions in the first place."

"Indeed. Twice the effort for a faster output."

"Yes. Funny that, how making tasks simpler for the end user requires greater initial complexity."

"Someone's got to do the groundwork."

"And in this case, you have to sketch something on paper before you can put it together in reality."

"Or you could utilize a testing sandbox."

"True, but somebody has to create that sandbox first, and to do that, they had to engineer it from scratch, from a plan on paper. Get my point?"

"I do. Invention conceptualization requires parchment."

Blinking, processing the statement meeting her ears, Maho then burst into a giggle.

"Y-Yes. Parchment and a quill, lest you forget."

"Like that of Da Vinci... Bringing forth a new era of computational mayhem in autonomously operating formats."

"Such poetry, Okabe-san... Da Vinci could only dream of the things you and I take for granted these days."

"Alas, time and progress march on regardless of lifespan."

Watching the computer scientist with interest as his lips curled around the tube in his own glass of soda, her cheeks warmed from the sight of him reading with visible interest.

_Meanwhile... Its so nice to see someone so interested in the unglamorous technical side of the things I do... Hell, that's why I ended up talking to you in the first place. You just kept asking and listening to what I had to say, regardless of your actual understanding... It made me think, and made me realize there's someone else with an interest in that kind of stuff._

Gazing at his gentle expression, eyes drifting side-to-side in thorough reading, she waited patiently for him to notice her.

_You're not majoring in artificial intelligence, but that's okay. The appreciation you always have means a lot, and your willingness to learn is a wonderful trait too. I'm sure if you decided to pursue it after you earn your current degree, you'd master the kind of stuff I work with at the university... And that would be awesome. You'd be my disciple, and we'd go full co-op and take over the AI world... Hehe._

Looking over through the window beside their table, she took in the expanse of lights illuminating the open courtyard several stories below.

_Anyway... Besides all that stuff, you just keep on doing what you do best, Okabe. The way you operate in this world never ceases to interest me... Probably part of why I ended u-_

"Amadeus has arrived."

"Huh?"

Head turning as a flash of reddish hair swooped down next to her, Maho discovered the presence of Kurisu as she nudged up in a lean against her shoulder.

"Senpai!"

"Gaahhh, um, _hi_. I'm scooting over."

"...And mister Rintarou. Hey there."

"Hello."

Shuffling over and dragging the notebook aside, snatching her beverage seconds later, Maho exhaled, releasing a slight fluster.

"You... Obviously found this place no problem."

"I did. Wasn't expecting another elevator ride but whatever."

Glancing back and forth between the spread of open notebooks on the table, Makise then giggled.

"Nerds."

"Says the one armed with a notepad in her purse..."

"Its useful!"

"Not as much as a notebook."

"Same difference! Notepads are better for portability."

"As if a notebook isn't already portable! Its not like we're carving into stone tablets."

Pausing their debate as Okabe's hand rose to his chin, both young women watched as he silently scrutinized Kurisu from across the table.

"Given your profession as neuroscientist, and a noted repertoire as a platforming gamer, I think it is safe to say you are just as nerdy as the rest of us, misses Makise."

Resting her arms onto the table with a calmly cheeky smile, Kurisu resisted a blush as Maho burst into laughter beside her.

"True, I've never had occasion to deny the nerdiness of either, mister Rintarou."

"Which means you hereby accept such claims to nerdiness."

Slowly grinning as a server strolled up beside the table mere seconds later, Okabe watched with continued amusement as Makise's eyebrow rose.

"Yes."

"How are you three doing this afternoon?"

"Quite well."

"Good."

"Feeling nerdy, apparently."

Twisting their pen with a flash of a smile, the server glanced across all three of them.

"It happens to the best of us... Looks like these two already have drinks going. How about you, miss?"

"Lemonade?"

"You've got it. Any appetizers?"

Trading a series of looks, and then negative shakes of their heads, Maho gently closed Okabe's notebook.

"Probably not."

"Alright. We'll get that out, and then we'll work on dinner."

"Sounds good!"

Turning back to Maho beside her, eying the rosy cheeks on her shorter compatriot, Kurisu nudged her shoulder again.

"Did you take care of whatever you were doing earlier?"

"Yes I did."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Nope."

"Secret doings of the senpai?"

"Always."

Glancing across the table to an obviously listening Okabe, their eyes met temporarily, and he smiled bemusedly from Kurisu's pointed smirk.

"Is mister Rintarou privy to your secrets, Maho?"

"What? Look, you... It depends."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes!"

"Depends on what?"

Looking between both young women, with Maho becoming amusingly flustered, Okabe sat back in his chair.

"Depends on what she's told me, naturally. I imagine you have plenty of your own secrets that you'd prefer Maho not share with the world."

Chin rising from Okabe's pointed nod towards her, Kurisu then innocently shrugged.

"Maybe. I can't control what others say about me, but I can control how much it bothers me... Which is very little."

"I see."

"Takes practice, mister Rintarou, but having iron-clad pride allows one to live without concern for other people's opinions."

"Iron-clad is putting it lightly... I think impervious is more like it."

"If the shoe fits, Maho. You've got a ton of pride packed into that little body of yours too."

"Psshhhush. Maybe."

Glancing aside as a fresh glass of lemonade appeared with near silence on the table, Kurisu drug it closer along the table, pulling the remainder of the paper sleeve from the straw.

"Its especially visible in the way you walk... Marching along with impunity."

"...Which I find quite adorable, frankly."

Smiling after his interjection, neck warming as both Maho and Makise's attentions locked onto him after his spoken thought, Okabe bashfully stuck the straw of his own drink into his mouth as Kurisu giggled.

"Aww, see Maho? He does like it when you lead him around everywhere."

Eyes meeting, discovering Maho was quietly gazing at him, cheekbones tinted with mildly surprised mirth, he shrugged his shoulders silently.

"Cause we're holding hands, genius. Why wouldn't he like that?"

Rising upright after several gulps of his beverage, his heart stirred from her speech.

_True, and it also affords one an ongoing view of the lovely lady in their life. You can tow me around anywhere you wish, Maho, and I'll gladly follow._

* * *

**JR Akihabara Station; Akihabara, Tokyo; 6:51p.m.**

Maintaining a slower pace mere seconds out of an elevator car, observing Kurisu's swift-footed movements towards the building's busy entrance, both Maho and Okabe kept side-by-side, with pleasantly full stomachs evident of a ferociously consumed dinner of curry, chicken, and mashed potatoes.

"To think she commented on you having a prideful stride..."

"Yeah, I know. Her bulletproof pride has its own swagger that she neglected to mention."

"Clearly... Although in her defense, we tend to be oblivious of our own appearances at times."

"Until we encounter a reflective surface."

"True."

Watching the structure's hinged doorway open and close with haste, with Kurisu vanishing just beyond the darker glass, Okabe attempted to evaluate the passage's timing, only to exhale lightly as they approached it in tandem.

"Hold on."

Surging forward in a quicker pace towards the door, he swept through and held it open from the outside, greeted by the evening's humid coastal air.

"...My lady."

Taking in the unforgettable expression of admiration manifesting on her face as she drew past, eyes meeting in a lingering connection, she continued in a slight turn away from the entrance, only to spin to a halt on the tiled concrete of the courtyard. Hands coming together, gripping her wrist, she stood still, breath held in waiting as as his soaring height returned to her side. Glancing down to her with a simple, familiar smile, both of them mysteriously illuminated by the glow of nearby streetlights, he offered his open palm once more. Collecting her slender digits with ease, warm knuckles mingling, he remained patiently silent as her lips parted to speak. Then, watching as she glanced over her shoulder towards a still-walking Kurisu, Maho's attention rapidly returned to him, her expression seemingly alternating between eagerness and hesitation.

"...Something amiss?"

"Huh? Oh, haha, nooo."

Exhaling from her playful drawl, and then the grin appearing on her face beneath starry emerald eyes, his eyebrow rose with a perk of curiosity as her lips drew apart again.

"I love you."

Blinking as the phrase spoken in her voice sunk in, Okabe watched with utter fascination as her slender shoulders began moving back and forth in a slow bodily wiggle, only for a firestorm of warmth to engulf his neck in realization of her bashful behavior.

" _Oh_."

Cracking into a giggle from his single-worded response, she then exhaled with delight as he stepped forward and scooped her into an automatic embrace, prompting her to tuck her face into his chest.

"J-Just so you know."

"I, well, yes. Now I do."

Closing her eyes, a dorky grin on her features as she nuzzled him with her forehead, she freed a heavy, unheard sigh from her lungs.

_This is about the reaction I expected... Embarrassed Okabe is cute as can be, and now you know how I feel. Maybe you should tell me your feelings when you're ready. Especially after going back and forth about actions and words... I'm sure you feel the same and just aren't sure about saying it yet, but that's okay... You big, bashful goof._

Halting her footfall several paces away, Kurisu peeked back over her shoulder with a cheeky smile splitting her cheeks.

_Daammmnnnn, Maho! Did those words just come out of YOUR mouth?_

Hurriedly looking away as the couple behind began into a resumption of motion, she then lifted her phone from her pocket, finding a prior conversation in her messages.

_Ohhh Mayuri, guess what?_

Tapping on the screen several times with her thumb, she quietly laughed upon review of the message.

_'Mission accomplished! :D'_

Sending the text, and slipping the device back into her shorts pocket, she stifled another giggle as a rosy-cheeked Maho appeared beside her.

"Sorry about stalling... A thing happened."

"You're fine. Were you two planning on going anywhere after dinner?"

"Figured we could head by the lab, maybe."

"Let's do it."

"You coming along?"

"Yes. Would love to see my darling Mayuri again, if she's there."

"She should be."

Smiling with delight from Okabe's confirmation, as the three of them began further into the courtyard, a sigh of accomplishment wandered outward from Kurisu's lungs. Looking down at Maho, and then up at Okabe just beyond, she eyed both of them with approval.

Not going to lie... Being part of this experiment is better than any romance novel I've ever read.

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory; Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:03p.m.**

Seated across the computer couch in a gathering before the twin screens of the monster computer, a cacophony of zany impact sounds and explosions emitted from a four-player team battle on the screen, controlled by four of the five lab members mashing opposite sets of keys on two keyboards. Supervising the comically violent conflict spread across the screens, Daru glanced back and forth between the digital mayhem, and the expressions of concentration that were frequently interrupted by bouts of laughter and temporary grunts of defeat.

_Nurse babe 3-D and Mayushii are battling against team OTP-dot-execute, and so far... Determining the eventual winner has been difficult. Okarin and Mayuri have both played this for many hours before, so they're balancing out both sides and making up for the noobs with boobs... Haha._

Smiling as Mayuri breathily shouted with success as Okabe's character was violently ejected off of the screen, Daru looked further as Okabe's head leaned back, waiting for his character to re-spawn.

_Man... Mayushii pulled off a beastly combo insta-kill. What's your comeback, bro? You always talk about an eye for an eye or whatever._

"Oh no you don't..."

"Yes... I do! _HAH!_ "

Watching as Kurisu's character was swept off of a platform by Maho's finger mashing, only to double-jump back up to safety, a humorous growl emitted from the shorter woman, followed by several quiet giggles.

"You got lucky."

"Should've hit me further, senpai."

"If you had more damage then you'd be floating into the virtual stratosphere by now."

"Uh huh. Maybe charge your sword hit next time."

"I'm... Guh, don't you give me ideas!"

"Mkay."

"You're just luring me into... _Dammit!_ "

"Yep."

Laughing quietly as Maho sat back with a flustered exhale, Daru observed the fading smoke cloud of a marvelously loud and forceful explosion that sent half of the opponents off-screen.

"You guys got owned."

"If real physics applied, such a detonation would have cast everyone off into oblivion."

"Sorry Rintarou, but team members aren't damaged by friendly explosives."

"Yes, I noticed."

"Ehee, Mayushii is explosion proof."

"Due to timely shield deploying, perhaps. Don't get too confident, double-oh-two."

"Mmm, Okarin's tempting fate with a butt-kicking from Mayushii."

"Not on my watch, missy."

Unknowingly grinning in tandem as Maho spoke up in defense of Okabe, both Mayuri and Kurisu stirred from the pugnacious rebuttal beside them.

_Maho's getting feisty for her sweet love... How cute!_

* * *

Sitting back on the cushions and arms of the couch, with a variety of boxed cookies and packaged confections scattered among the legs of the furniture's occupants, a randomized mix of calm instrumental music played from the computer's speakers, with notes mingling among the wisps of steam from recently brewed mugs of tea. Addled with sugar and caffeine, and smiling with amusement from a variety of jokes and recent stories shared, Maho sat on the couch's right arm, settled in a lean on the padded frame. Keeping her arm at rest along the top, her fingers remained spread into Okabe's head of hair, gently caressing the dark depths of his scalp.

"Mayushii has a bad feeling about what's next."

"I did too, but it turned out alright in retrospect. We ended up in someone else's backyard after hopping a fence, and after waiting for while, the lights disappeared, and we were in the clear."

"Nice. Running from the law?"

"Not quite. We were just having a good time, and somebody local got disgruntled enough to call in a report."

"Lame, but interesting. I don't think that kind of stuff even happens here."

"Suburbia in America is a bit different than neighborhoods here, I'm sure... More open land, for starters."

"Japan probably fits entirely inside California."

"Probably. America is huge."

"With a huge national ego to match."

Looking aside to Maho from her quip, Kurisu's eyebrows rose and lowered with a trade of humored smiles.

"Definitely."

Glancing back towards the ajar door of the apartment's restroom, Maho then rose upright, sliding off and plopping onto her bare feet.

"Be right back."

Glimpsing Okabe's following nod, continuing in a diagonal heading across the worn wood flooring, her eyes spied the familiar colors and shapes of a lengthy NERF gun won months prior, leaning against the wall near the smaller green loveseat. Taking a mental note of the weapon's position, she then elected to alter her course, plucking the firearm from its place with remarkable silence.

_Lock and load... Hehe._

Discreetly watching Maho's procession, and the resulting closure of the bathroom door, Okabe's vision calmly returned to Mayuri seated beside him, only to bring the mug of cooler tea in hand to his lips, downing the remainder with three gulps.

_Right. Looks like a refill is in order._

Rising to his feet with an upward shove on the cushion, he revolved around the end of the couch with a glance towards the kitchen, only to watch with great interest as Maho peeked out of the bathroom door. Hesitating as she continued out of the passage, with the massive NERF cannon held readily in her small hands, Okabe's eyebrow rose as the weapon's pump-action slide was quietly racked back and forth.

_Good heavens, I think a battle is incoming, uh..._

Looking in the opposite direction as he stepped past Kurisu, only to blink as she bent forward with a calm, growing smile, she plucked the lab's second foam-dart-firearm from beneath her feet, and Okabe hurried his pace as another weapon was loaded with a clatter of moving plastic internals.

_Yep! Taking cover!_

Head ducking as Kurisu whirled around, kneeling on the couch, matching squeals of ferocity and laughter erupted across the room as foam bullets began flying back and forth in rapid succession, and Maho sauntered aside in an attempt to dodge incoming fire as Okabe hunkered down beside the opposite end of the furniture.

"Don't think I didn't hear you load that thing earlier, Maho!"

"I'm sure you did, super-sonar-ears!"

"You're stealthy, but not enough to outwit me!"

"Yeeehehee, stealth is one thing, but evasion is _another!_ "

Backing aside near Daru among the feisty female banter, both male's eyes met after watching the unfolding battle, only for Okabe to find a bothered expression on Daru's face.

"Bro, you're the biggest target in here. You're gonna draw gunfire to both of us."

Leaning against the arm of the couch, Okabe squinted at his comrade dubiously.

"Says the one with the bright yellow hat... If anyone here has a bullseye on their cranium, its you, Hashida."

"Roger, equally screwed. Who's winning the battle?"

"Not sure. Lines are being drawn and positions claimed... And I'm out of tea."

"Oh man, don't be a hero Okarin. It's too risky."

Chin rising amidst Daru's sarcasm, Okabe looked boldly towards the kettle of tea seated on the oven range as Maho hustled out of sight into the bathroom.

"But I must, Hashida. Wish me luck!"

Pushing upright amidst Daru's following salute, and forging forth into the fray with his head ducked low, Okabe silently realized a temporary pause in the cannonade as he walked past Maho, who was peeking around the door frame of the bathroom. Eyes meeting with humored approval, Maho then hardened her expression towards Kurisu, only to retract her head from sight as a foam dart ricocheted off the wall inches away. With continued verbal silence ensuing among the music mix emanating from the computer's speakers, Okabe poured a refill of warm tea, and began into a cautious wander back, mug in hand. Passing Maho once more, however, she suddenly burst out from the bathroom and grabbed hold of the side of his shirt, briefly halting his progression.

"O-Oh, what's..."

"Keep going. You're my shield for now."

"Right then."

Glancing ahead as Daru flopped back onto the couch, placing Mayuri's resident Upa cushion onto the back frame of the couch behind his head, Okabe then eyed Kurisu with apprehension as he cautiously plodded along, uncertain of the patient hawk-eyed expression on her face as the muzzle of her weapon followed both of them. Several paired footsteps later, Maho hopped away, hiding beside the arm of the green couch out of sight, and Okabe sped up his pace as the battle resumed raging behind.

_Damn, to think I left the one I value most on her own with... Hold on._

Looking aside as the lab's second toy firearm was handed over to a smugly smiling Mayuri, Okabe's spin grew cold with uncertainty as his childhood friend chambered a round with a confident tug and push of the plastic slide. Watching as the weapon rose towards him, he promptly lifted his mug of tea to his lips, sucking down a quick gulp and dropping to his knees in avoidance as several foam darts were launched amidst riotous feminine laughter.

"Hashida my friend, we are in a dire situation."

"You mean you are."

"Mayuri is armed and dangerous, man! Her unpredictability makes her extra hazardous in this situation."

"That's all on you, dude. You got her attention by venturing out for a supply run."

Glancing towards Maho among Daru's words, Okabe ducked lower as an orange dart bounced off the floor in front of himself, eying the hint of her bushy hair hiding beyond the arm of the other couch as other rounds of ammunition flew asunder.

_This is bad. Trapped in such an imposition and... Wait..._

Peeking up towards the Upa cushion just above, a figurative light bulb illuminated his expression.

_That's it! Mayuri would never open fire upon her beloved rotund creature!_

Slurping down the remainder of tea from the mug in hand, he set the porcelain cup aside with delicacy.

_Okay. Engaging defensive countermeasures in three, two, one..._

Springing upright and plucking the Upa cushion from its place, he hopped out from behind cover, holding the spherical creature outward with an iron grip.

"Ah _HA!_ "

"Wha, hey!"

Grinning from Daru's protesting, Okabe bravely stood down the two young women reloading the magazine of the second NERF gun, watching as Mayuri's mouth opened in realization of the situation.

"Okarin! That's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and war, May."

"Taking hostages is a sign of desperation, Okabe-san."

"Alas, misses Makise, the creature in my possession is not a hostage, but rather a tactically defensive tool. Upa-chan radiates a defensive buff, ' _Morality Deflection_ ,' which shields those near it from harm from projectile weaponry."

"Wow."

"Because of Upa-chan's influence, Mayuri would dare not fire upon h-."

***CLICK-CLICK***

Blinking as the loaded weapon promptly returned to Kurisu's hands, she leveled the cannon towards Okabe, firing a foam dart directly into his shoulder.

"Deflect _that_."

Blinking from a variety of resulting laughter, and then releasing a sigh of comic defeat, Okabe stepped further aside and sat down onto the couch, garnering Maho's attention from the shifting furniture.

"Well, it was worth a shot."

"And you got shot, bro."

"Technically it worked on Mayuri."

Looking aside to Maho, peeking up over the aged fabric of the arm beside himself, his palm patted the head of the Upa cushion.

"Alas, not all are influenced by normal human morality."

Rising to her feet, and bringing herself up onto the arm of the couch with a small grunt, Maho seated herself beside him, laying her own NERF weapon across her lap.

"Especially not that one."

"Considering her inclination towards debate, I am not surprised."

Eying Kurisu in tandem, as she leaned aside on the opposite seat with arms crossed and satisfied mirth on her expression, both of them hummed with amusement. Then, with a rise of heartbeat from their proximity, Maho peeked aside, realizing their nearly-matching seating height.

_Anyway, speaking of love and war..._

Turning and resting her head against his in a lean, her ponytail slackened to rest in front of her shoulder, and after a quiet moment among notes of an electronic piano, Okabe's hand rose, gently scooping and fiddling with the length of hair.

_...Yeah. That._

Staying patiently still as he inspected her locks with his delicate dexterity, listening to the ongoing song with momentary distraction, her vision flitted back to his hand, with strands of her mane weaved in among his digits.

_Having fun, I see..._

Curling her own digits around her ponytail and gently pulling it free from his grasp, she began grinning as she swung it into his chin, batting his mouth with the lengthy gathering of hair. Grinning as he slowly peeked aside to her from her mirthy hums, she pressed her hair against his chin, holding it in place.

"Look, now you have a really long beard."

"Hmm. That was fast."

Exhaling with a single laugh from his comment, she nodded.

"Yeah. Used that tonic finally?"

"Too much, apparently."

Bursting into further laughter, her fingers released the ponytail once more, and she nestled closer, burying her nose into his hair near his ear and turning his head aside with a playful push.

_Meanwhile... I'll never get enough of this good-smelling goodness. No fake cologne or anything... Just handsome, wholesome, scent of male. Scent of Okabe-san. There._

Exhaling a previously drawn breath, her free palm was collected by his fingers in an easy grasp, and she began smiling, keeping her forehead against him as she peeked down towards their held hands below.

_Smells, and smooches, and cuddles... Just what one needs to make any evening better._

* * *

**Ohiyama Building; Akihabara, Tokyo; 11:26p.m.**

Listening to the quiet exchange of breath back and forth, faintly audible over their own footsteps, and the dull roar of of the city ambiance beyond, hearts beat with fervor as a looming separation was continuously pushed a few more minutes away.

_Friday night... To think we're at the end of this week already._

Drifting past Okabe as he slowed his own movements in his apartment's dim stairwell, sinking lower with each reluctant step, their arms slowly extended with increasing tension, until she looked back over her shoulder, squeezing his palm.

"Will I... See you tomorrow?"

"Of course."

Aching from the thought of another inevitable departure, looming in both of their minds, their fingers pushed between each other, knuckles meeting in one more squeeze.

"Mkay."

Nearly slipping free of his grasp, however, he suddenly stepped forward, reaffirming his hold on her hand and easily halting her attempt at departure.

"Maho, wait."

Revolving back and facing him as he drew closer, she exhaled as he staggered down an extra step, scooping her into a slightly bewildered hug after the sudden motions.

"I, ah, just in case we don't somehow see each other tomorrow, I mean, after what I said earlier today about actions versus speech, and then you earlier..."

Eyebrows sky high as his normally coherent train of thought seemed to be jumbling together words, Maho waited patiently, heart jack-hammering inside her chest.

"...I was thinking afterward, based on recent experiences and feelings, that, its safe to say I agree with you. Or, rather, I feel the same as you do."

Brow furrowing, only to for her eyes to slowly widen again in realization as a smile of satisfaction finally settled onto his expression, her lips drew apart with a delicate inhale.

"Are you-."

"I love you, Maho. I'm certain of it."

Lungs emptying, clearing the remainder of words in her throat with the outward breath, her mouth remained open as his speech echoed inside her head.

_Haha... Hehee, hehehee, he's... Holy shit. He actually, definitely, totally, just said it!_

Tickled into an unstoppable giggle, she flopped her head forward beneath his chin, wrapping her arms around his sides as she shook with sweet laughter, leaving Okabe mildly perplexed from her reaction until she produced an audible sigh, finally ending her outward mirth.

"Is that... Alright?"

"Yes, of course it is, silly. Its just funny that you mention that thing with actions you talked about... Especially after this morning. All the little things you do, and all the expressions you make... I started to wonder how you felt. Figured maybe someday you'd say so, so honestly..."

Rising upward, eyes sparkling as she kept him in a gaze of unfettered enamorment, her head tilted ever-so-slightly.

"You stopping and telling me like this... It was surprising, and perfect. I'll never forget it."

"Quite frankly, I feel the same way about you, earlier this evening."

"Yeah? Were you surprised?"

"Oh, of course. I wasn't expecting it in the slightest."

"Good. That was the plan."

"And it worked well."

Beaming with a hint of mischief, her eyes then lowered to the collar of his shirt.

"So... Tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Any time in particular?"

"Noon. Lunch. Something." _Anything, just as long as I can be with you before we head to the airport..._

"Agreed."

Swallowing from the looming journey less than a day away, the ache in her chest threatened to spread up into her throat.

"Um..."

"Something in mind?"

Pawing at the concrete step beneath her feet, she peeked up towards him once more.

"Well, maybe just a ki-."

Eyelids slapping shut, her nose drew in a breath of pleasant surprise as he cut off her suggestion with a kiss, causing her to squeeze her arms tighter around his sides.

_...Kiss goodnight. Like this. Damn._

Drawing apart from the intimate connection, faces remaining closer than before, their voices hushed to a whisper from the proximity.

"Good night, Maho."

Savoring the distinct sound of his lowered voice, she peeked up beneath her bangs, continuing an emotion-laden gaze.

"Goodnight, Okabe."

Gently drawing free from their embrace, finally allowing her to pass beneath his arm, Okabe looked on as she tiptoed down the stairwell, brushing around the corner and teasingly vanishing from sight. Listening to the quiet footfall of her shoes fading into the distance, he leaned aside, coming to rest against the brickwork of the dim stairwell.

Good night, Maho... You magnificent, verdant-eyed marvel. Maybe it was inevitable that we both exchanged our deeper feelings before your departure... No doubt because of your intent to return to Japan for good. I'm sure you're firmly set on your plans now... And I fully intend to support them, and to support you.

Sighing heavily, a bashful smile remaining on his expression, a chuckle then shook his chest.

_Yes. If things weren't clear before, they certainly are now, and for that... I thank you, you emerald eyed enigma._

* * *

Glancing at a small clock in Kurisu's hotel room, seated on the comforter of the bed with a glass of plum wine in hand, Maho squinted at the time displayed.

_Almost one in the morning... And we're boozing it up._

"So, Maho, considering its Friday, well, Saturday morning, technically..."

"Yeah?"

"You know we're only a short time away from heading back to the airport."

"I know, and its bugging me." _...Only because I don't even want to go back anymore. I just want to stay here in Tokyo, but of course I have to -_

"Cause you'd rather stay here in Japan, right?"

Swallowing a bigger gulp of the alcohol in her glass than intended, Maho's eyes darted over to Kurisu with surprise, throat scorched from the beverage.

"U-Um, well... Since you're just putting it out there anyway... _Yes_."

After a seemingly awkward silence, Kurisu simply smiled.

"You know, I'm not surprised in the slightest."

Blinking with abject disbelief, Maho leaned back slightly.

"You're not?"

"Nope. I've sort of figured out what you've been up to anyway, especially seeing how you are around that boy of yours, its pretty obvious that you want him in your daily life."

Cheeks reddening as her best friend easily put together unspoken puzzle pieces, Maho's arms settled onto her crossed knees, carefully keeping her glass of plum wine upright.

"I do... I really do."

"I know you do, senpai. You love that boy. Hell, you already told him so today... So I'm not surprised that you want to stay within reach."

"I'm... I haven't really said anything about this, because I wasn't sure how you'd react."

"Oh, Maho... Remember what I told you back at L-A-X, before we boarded that flight?"

"Yes. Follow my heart, right?"

"Absolutely. You're in charge of your destiny. Make it what you want it to be, you know?"

"That's... I kinda realized that the other day. When we were coming back from the planetarium."

"Then go for it, silly! You don't anybody's permission to chase your dreams."

Exhaling from an injection of resolve, Maho stared down at the dark liquid between her hands.

_What I want, with who I want... Yes!_

Rising up to Kurisu again, Maho watched her glass rise to her best friend's lips.

"Um, but what about you?"

"Mmm, what about me?"

"In the meantime, whenever I end up here... What do you see in your future?"

"I'm not sure... But that makes it kinda fun, not knowing what's coming."

"I guess."

"Besides... Its not like anybody could know what their future holds. That's why its potential is essentially infinite."

Straightening her back with an exhale, Maho looked aside in a momentary wander.

_That sounds like something Okabe would say... Among all the rest of his eclectic verbiage._

"Yeah. True."

"To be more relevant though, regardless of where you are in the world, Maho, I'll be doing what I always do."

"Research, and weekend mayhem."

"Of course. Using this grey matter of mine to unlock the secrets of our own brains. That will never change."

"I guess I'll still be part of the Amadeus operation, over the internet."

"Duh! You're not disappearing forever, and neither am I. Plus you'll have my virtual twin as company anyway."

Nostrils flaring from the thought, and then looking further aside to hide an eye-roll from Makise's following snicker, Maho tipped the glass up, taking in the remaining mouthful of the tart beverage.

_You're right, I'll be dragging along my sassy software project, with your exact likeness and cheekiness. I guess if I ignore the lack of physical presence and most of the advice..._

Swallowing the mouthful with an expected wave of burning descending into her throat, Maho's arm lowered, and the empty glass in hand leaned outward.

_...Leaving behind my only state-side bestie could be tolerable._

Peeking back towards Kurisu, with her violet eyes displaying unending fondness as they met, a silent sigh exited her lungs.

_Maybe. And if it isn't... I'll just get her out here for a visit now and then. Hang out and go on more Tokyo adventures, just like this whole week._

Mouth curling into a smile shortly afterward, both of her hands came together, digits intersecting around the thin neck of the glass.

_We'll figure it out. Like she said... Who knows what's going to happen in the future? Especially with something like Amadeus... Plus they're still working on opening the Institute in Wakoshi sometime soon. Maybe someday you'll just end up here in Japan anyway, Kurisu. That would be something._


	20. 10100

**Saturday, May 5th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 10:16a.m.**

Groggily lifting one eyelid open, met with blurred vision among a shroud of hair and bright white pillowcase, Maho's body twisted over in a roll, arm snaking for her smartphone that lay on the nightstand.

_Too bright... What time..._

Fingers slapping onto the backside of the angular blue and white case surrounding the device, she drug it free from the small wood surface, twisting it into view.

_Ten, seventeen... Saturday._

Lifting her head free from the pillow with an upward shove of her arm, stretching both limbs in a diagonal stretch outward, her head of hair spilled around her shoulder and onto the disheveled sheets beneath. Then, after an exhale, she blinked several times, only to stare at the date and time on the phone's screen in her grasp.

_Wait, Saturday morning? And its... Holy shit._

Jerking herself further upright, sitting onto her folded legs, she looked around her hotel room, spying her open suitcase nearby.

_Already quarter past ten? I know we were up late but this isn't a day to waste!_

Clawing her way out of the mass of bedding, stumbling onto her feet as the linens unraveled from her legs, she hurried across the carpet to the bathroom, rubbing the haze from her eyes with several rough swipes of her knuckles.

_Haven't even texted Okabe good morning or anything, what in the world, and how much did we... Finished that whole bottle, didn't we? No wonder I'm in a fuzz. At least I'm not dead with a hangover. I'd be so pissed with myself if my last day to be around him was messed up by a massive headache._

Glancing aside at the bathroom mirror, blinking at the usual sight of a thoroughly messy mane of bed-hair, she ran her fingers through in several swipes to clear loose knots.

_Gotta get ready, and see what he's up to... We aren't leaving until the evening, but the hell if I'm going to let this day slip away._

Reaching back and pulling the bathroom door shut, she then began tugging at the sleeves of her undershirt one at a time.

_I don't know when exactly we'll end up together again once I fly back to California... But I know it won't take nearly as long to find my way back here. Not like last time..._

Tearing the textile free from her shoulders, and watching as her lengthy locks flopped back down to rest, covering her bosom with a freely behaving mass, her arms settled to rest on the sink counter in further contemplation.

_Definitely not as long as last time. Four months? No. Let's try one. Maybe one and a half... However long it takes. I'll pack the bare essentials and leave behind the rest. Ship just what I need, store it, and once I find a place, grab it all and move it in. Simple. I should see how much apartment rent is around here... Can't be nearly as costly as California. Literally need a studio, and that's it. Hell, Okabe's Data Lab is a studio. How much is he paying? I should ask. But first..._

Glancing aside at the folds of a shower curtain, she exhaled.

_...First, I should shower._

* * *

Thumbs working with fervor, tapping on a virtual keyboard on the screen of her phone, Maho stood still in front of Kurisu, who was kneeling on her bed and actively finishing the arranging of an tightly bound updo behind her head. Working Maho's clean and straightened hair with patient movements of her fingers, she peeked over her friend's slender shoulder, smiling from the text message correspondence visible in her palms.

"What did he say?"

"He's paying one hundred thousand Yen for the lab... Which converts to... Dang, less than a grand a month in US dollars."

"Nice."

"I doubt that's normal price-wise, but that does make me feel better."

"I don't think you're going to have difficulty affording one with your full ride, Maho. Its not like you need anything bigger than a studio either."

"Yeah. A bed, bathroom, desk, and a chair."

"They have two couches and a huge computer crammed into that lab. You'll make it work."

"They also don't have a bed in there. I don't know how Okabe sleeps on a couch nightly, but..." _I should invite him over a few times a week and change that... Hehe._

"I couldn't do that."

"Me neither. Beds are irreplaceable."

"Especially for your heavy sleep schedule, snoozy susie."

"Psh, well, some of us night owls have weird hours of shut-eye."

"And yours are weirder than most, but I digress."

Tightening the knot of a white bowstring around the top of the shorter ponytail falling behind her neck, and aligning the decoration, Kurisu reached forward, dragging her fingers lightly above both of Maho's ears, prompting a ticklish giggle from her best friend as long loose tufts came to rest over her temples.

"...I think you're good."

"Yay, thank you."

Settling onto her legs as they collapsed onto the messy sheets beneath, Kurisu's arms came to rest on her lap as Maho turned around, chin held up in thought.

"You're welcome, and you are adooorable."

Tilting her head towards her auburn compatriot with a hint of a smile, she set her phone aside on the nightstand, turning and seating herself beside Kurisu.

"He's offered to meet up for lunch around twelve-thirty, so for now, I'll just kill some time."

"Should've brought your laptop."

"No, because then I'd lose track of time."

"I've got paperbacks."

"I know, but, um, let's just head down to the lobby for now."

"Don't spoil your appetite."

"I said the lobby, not the cafe."

"Oh, but the temptation will still be there."

Furrowing her brow from her friend's cryptic statement, Maho shook her head slightly.

"Its not like I would fill myself up anyway, genius."

"Why don't you think about where you want to go in the meantime? That way you'll be too busy to consider a snack."

Looking over to her phone as it vibrated and chirped, Maho glanced aside towards her partially packed suitcase again.

"I think I have a place in mind already, actually."

"Yeah?"

"The first restaurant he took me to after we met. Your twin asked up and down for details about it."

Looking at Kurisu, who now had a smile of curiosity on her features, Maho rolled her eyes.

"...And now you're going to want details, aren't you?"

"Naturally. We'll recap later on like normal."

"Ugh. Alright."

"Hey, you've only given me one vague hint. Of course I'm curious!"

"That's because its special!"

"And therefore you're reluctant to talk about it. I know how you are, senpai."

"Yeah, well... That's just how things are with me."

"Its okay anyway. You're tight lipped when sober, but when you're inebriated, you turn into a motor-mouth, so I'll just ask you for details then."

"Wow. Preying on weakened constitutions, much?"

"Intoxication lowers the neurological presence of inhibitions. Resistance goes down, and willingness goes up."

"Thank you, captain obvious. Please don't get me drunk so you can interrogate me."

"Oh, there's no need for interrogations. You speak all on your own."

Rolling her eyes, Maho plucked her phone from the nightstand, remembering the recently arrived message.

_Okabe... Rest assured, when I live here, we're going to be sober and unashamed of it... I'm almost entirely certain most of my reasons to booze it up will vanish once I leave the wine country. Not that I don't mind the occasional drink, but... Its not like I'll need to drink to fit in. I mean, that's the whole point of the data lab. Nerds of a feather, with no need to conform... Damn._

"...Anyway, Maho, I was mostly joking a moment ago. I know you've got a lot on your mind right now."

"You're fine, I'm just... Yeah. Thinking about things." _Looking forward to things, rather. God. The more I think about this, the more exciting and pleasant it sounds. That's probably a good thing. Pretty soon I'll have no hesitation or reason to back down. Not that I plan to... Not that I'm going to, cause I'm not. I'm gonna fly there, pack my stuff up, fly back here, and start fresh in Tokyo. With friends and... Well, by that point... A boyfriend, maybe._

Smiling from the word tiptoeing into her conscious, as well as the pleasant message from Okabe on her phone's screen, Maho daintily exhaled.

_Maybe... More like, I dunno... No maybe about it. That l-o-v-e word is a big deal, and both of us tossed it at each other yesterday. What a rush. No more contemplating feelings, and no more wondering when to admit them... Cause they're out in the open now. I can't wait to say it again. Can't wait to hear it again too._

Tingling with anticipation, looking impatiently at the time on the top of her phone's main menu, her foot began fidgeting out of sight.

_I need one more day full of Okabe magic. Maybe then I can face the task ahead... Knowing he'll be waiting. Ready to assist and receive, just like he said the other night._

Glancing ahead towards the closed door of her hotel room, Maho leaned back onto her arms, looking across the shoulder of her blouse's sleeve to her best friend.

_That boy really is irreplaceable. Goes out of his way for everything and almost everyone... A heart of gold, and he'll never be arrogant enough to admit it, which isn't a bad thing... That bashful humility is one of the first things I noticed about that hazel-eyed wonder._

"Clearly. Your expression has changed six times in the past minute."

"Hm? Oh."

"So the question now, Maho... Are you ready?"

"For today?"

"And everything to come. You're about to rearrange your lifestyle and relocate five thousand miles, all for one boy."

"Y-Yes, I know I am."

"I'm not criticizing you. Honestly I'm applauding the fact that you're about to take a huge leap, and probably find your way into an incredible adventure for years to come."

Slowly grinning from the thought, a breath wandered from her little nose.

"Just following my heart."

"Yep."

"And creating my own destiny."

"Imagine how Okabe-san feels... With some cute little lady so in love with him that she's moving to his country to keep seeing him."

Cheeks reddening as their eyes met, Maho shrugged.

"He's excited. I know he is."

"That makes it even better, Maho. He's ready and willing to keep you in his daily life."

"Yes, and I can't wait... There's a million things we can do together."

"And a million kisses you can share."

"Yeah. Definitely." _Kisses, and other things... Man. When I find my way back here... I'm gonna make him mine. All that tall, handsome, goofy goodness... Mine._

Sinking down to her fingers spread apart on the bedding, her imagination wandered freely.

_Just have that big ocean to cross. Twice. And then he'll be all mine._

* * *

**JR Akihabara Station; Akihabara, Tokyo; 12:39p.m.**

Glancing left and right in a calm surveyal of her surroundings, with multi-directional pedestrian movements keeping her eyes on a distracted search, Maho leaned back against a tubular railing, slender arms crossed in front of a steadily beating heart.

_Been to this courtyard so often... Starting to feel like a standard meeting place. Probably already is for the lab members. Definitely is for me and... This one walking up to me now, hehee!_

Eyebrows rising in expressive elation as the soaring height and growing smile of a groomed and casually dressed Okabe entered her vision, she shoved away from the steel barrier, promptly skipping over towards him in a swift closure of distance. Breaking into a grin as his arms automatically opened, ready for her approach, she maintained her velocity, colliding face-first into the fabric of his shirt and taking in a great, happy breath.

"Hello again."

"Hellooo."

Rising up from her almost standard muffled greeting, their gazes aligned with expected swiftness, and arms tightened around the other's sides.

"How was your morning?"

"Semi-productive. Yours?"

Head tilting, Maho rolled her eyes playfully.

"Slept for most of it, and then whirled into motion for the rest."

"At least you're well rested."

"Yeah, kinda shared a bottle with Kurisu last night, so I'm in better shape than I have been in the past."

"That's good."

"You're telling me. The hell if I'm going to sleep this day away."

Tucking her forehead back against his chest in a tightening of her hug, a breath wandered from her nose as he rested his chin atop her neatly arranged hair.

"You look lovely as ever."

"Mmm, thank you, handsome."

Humming with shared mirth, both computer scientists allowed a spare moment of silence to drift past, together.

"So, how would the misses prefer to spend the remainder of this day?"

"She'd like to enjoy it with this big goofy nerd that makes her heart beat fast."

"As it happens... That's already been arranged."

"Yay!"

Nuzzling the folds of his shirt, taking in a hint of laundry detergent, her face tilted back upward, resting her chin between his ribs. Watching him with utmost patience, with a spare few spring clouds drifting lazily overhead, Maho's hands drifted down from his backside, and with a matching relaxing of his limbs, their hands found their way together beside her hips, with fingers big and small spreading and curling between each other.

_You are picture perfect right now... So I hope you don't mind if I just... Mentally screenshot this for posterity._

Mouth opening, only to close, Okabe's intended speech hesitated, with his focus thoroughly maintained on her verdant irides just beneath.

_Knowing her, she's already interested in food consumption, but... I think this view can last a little while longer._

Watching the smile on her face slowly increase in size, with a hint of teeth peeking out from one side, he fought back the tickle of a laugh from her expression.

"...You look like something's on the tip of your tongue."

"O-Oh, well, just the usual question, really."

"Lunch?"

"Yes. Anywhere in particular?"

"Mmhm! That Okinawan place we went to in January... For reasons."

"Can do."

"Awesome. There's something I want you to try, if they serve it."

"Yeah?"

"Its a dessert, don't worry. Nothing too wild."

"Then I look forward to it. Shall we go?"

"Uh-huh!"

Releasing one hand and towing him aside in a slackening rotation, she peeked back with a blossoming grin as he promptly quickened his pace, drawing up beside her and reaffirming his grip on her slender palm as they began alongside Atré One.

"You remember where it is?"

"For the most part. A few clicks around the corner, down yonder towards the Kanda river."

"And then over the hillock and through the urban woods, right?"

"Precisely."

Exhaling with mirth, Maho's head tilted back and forth in a playful bob.

_Magic, and adventures... With my mysterious magician._

Glancing upward as a commuter train rattled over the green girder bridge several yards away, a quiet sigh left her lungs, maintaining a tingle of anticipation in her chest.

_Hopefully today's time together will hold me over for a while._

* * *

Working through perpetual forkfuls of lettuce, ground beef and cheese-covered rice, having since given up on using provided chopsticks, Maho's vision repeatedly moved back and forth along the dishware on the booth-surrounded table she sat at. With Okabe seated beside her, consuming a platter of Pork Champuru, she watched his chopsticks manipulate globs of Soba noodles in a steady delivery, consistently distracted from her own serving of Taco Rice.

_If you think that's good stuff, wait until I drag you out to Okinawa for the local variety... Ooh, I could cook some too. Hmmm... Hadn't even thought about that. We've eaten out so much that I've kinda forgotten that I'll end up cooking for myself wherever I end up... Which means you'll be trying the best Hirayachi you'll ever have._

Eyes meeting as he peeked aside, lowering the nearly empty bowl in his hand, his eyebrow rose as her smile curved higher.

"You're looking decidedly mischievous."

"Aren't I always?"

"True. I've only been witness to some of your mayhem, but I have no doubt you're capable of further dastardly escapades."

"Such a glowing portrayal... The only escapades I've been in are ones out in the states, and all of them were with the master of mayhem herself."

"Ah, right. The innocent American genius girl that secretly wreaks havoc."

"And drags her friends along in its wake... Someday I'll tell you a story or two about all that."

"She spoke of one such evasion from the law the other night."

"Oh, well, that's just when neighborhood parties get out of hand. She didn't commit any crimes that I know of."

"Not wanting to be in league with a collegiate renegade, hmm?"

Bursting into a giggle from the descriptor, Maho's head tilted aside with wandering eyes.

"I already am. The renegade part is just the open secret."

"I see."

"Most of the stuff we got into was in good fun though. Nothing too dangerous thankfully, which says a lot for a place like Los Angeles... There's a million ways to wind up in trouble there."

"Symptoms of the wild west frontier, right?"

"More civilized, but, yeah. Clichés aside, everything you hear about California is fairly accurate. Viktor Chondria is in a better part of town, at least, so there's that."

Speech fading as Okabe quietly processed her wandering thoughts, setting his empty bowl aside, Maho then poked at the remainder of her meal with the tangs of the steel fork in hand.

_Taco fillings, on rice... This is an Okinawan dish, but California is invading my conscious more than I like. Probably because my return to it is looming. Dammit. The more I think of my return to the states, the more I'm detesting it. Maybe that's a good thing... Should light a metaphorical fire under my butt to get out, and move here. Its not that I hate the place or the people, its just..._

Peeking aside to Okabe, who was now looking out of the window beside her seat, a silent sigh wandered from her nose at the sight of his handsome facial profile, with hints of hair lining the ridge of his chin.

_...There's other places and people I love more._

* * *

Dragging a newly offered platter of Sata Andagi over between both of them, with a dozen deep fried balls of dough stacked into a small pyramid atop the dish, a hint of honey glazing reflected the afternoon sunlight from the window outside, and Maho's vision flitted between Okabe's curious eyes, and the dessert solely occupying the cleared table.

"You first."

"Alrighty."

"You've had these, right?"

"Not sure."

"Mm, well, they're real popular on my little island homeland. In America we'd call these donut holes."

"Right, yes."

Plucking the top-most ball of crunchy-coated batter, instantly greeted by the stickyness of honey, his smile started growing, seeing Maho patiently watching him in the corner of his eye. Depositing the harmless object into his mouth, and then grunting with pleasant surprise from the sweet and gooey flavors, he began nodding.

"Good, right?"

"Mmhm."

Seeing him reach for another in short order, her chin rose with a return of mischief, and mere seconds after grasping one, she reached out and halted his arm with a steady grasp of her digits. Plucking another confection from the pile with her free hand, she then reached outward, holding it in front of his nose.

"Have this one."

"Oh, but..."

"The one you're holding is mine, silly."

"Ah."

Exhaling with discreet amusement as her small fingers then brought the object closer to his mouth, he cautiously accepted the offering, pulling it away from her fingertips. Looking then to the one remaining in his hand, his vision then shifted towards her playfully waiting eyes, flitting between him and the dessert in hand.

"I suppose you're expecting the same..."

Eying him with a pointed nod, tempered by rosy cheekbones, she watched as the offering in his hand cautiously navigated closer.

"...Right."

Lips parting cheekily, and then sinking her teeth into the dessert, keeping the deep fried batter ball between her lips, Maho laughed with delight as his fingers retracted with visible swiftness. Pulling it further into her mouth, and then pushing it aside into one cheek, her face remained laden with mirth as she chewed, releasing his hand that promptly sank onto the table, messy fingertips kept apart.

"You goof."

"Hey, your renegade friend once warned of losing fingers."

"Mmmmaybe. But if I ate yours, then I wouldn't be able to hold your hand, and that's no fun."

Feigning a sigh of relief, Okabe then broke into a chuckle, plucking another of the spherical treats from the platter.

"Agreed."

Glancing aside as she settled against his shoulder, peeking up towards him with a flutter of lashes, their vision remained united in an ever-familiar gaze of admiration, and his hand simply landed on the tabletop again.

_Seeing eye-to-eye... Day after day. People say conflict is inevitable and normal, but so far... I can't even think of a time we've experienced it. Call it fortune, or luck, but I think its just a matter of circumstance. Plus we've only had limited lengths of time together. Even so... I think we've seen enough of who we are and what we do, and I have no qualms or complaints. I imagine she doesn't either... She hasn't said or shown it if she has. No matter. What's the need of worrying about strife to come anyway? I'd rather dream of the future than dread it, and from the looks of things presently... If you do finally wind up here in Tokyo, Hiyajo Maho... I feel like a future together would be nothing short of amazing. A life of adventure and computerized innovation beside the Emerald Eyed Enigma... Not to mention the romantic parts throughout._

Seeing her crane upward, cheeks faintly flushed, his eyes closed in automatic response, lured into a descent and meeting her in a honey-flavored kiss.

_Yes. A life to look forward to, here beside you. That'll be something... So let's make that something happen._

* * *

**Kanda River, Akihabara, Tokyo; 5:13p.m.**

Leaning forward onto the thin steel beams of a pedestrian railing, lining the concrete edges of the city river-turned-canal, both Okabe and Maho kept their arms folded atop the thin barrier, lazily watching the ever-moving shimmers of light reflecting off the water, cast from the lowering sun above as it sank further into an amber horizon. Then, after a lasting length of peace and quiet among the city's dull roar...

"Okabe... Rintarou."

Pulled aside from her speaking of his full name, he watched as she alighted upon his calm, curious eyes in a turn.

"Yes?"

"I'm... I know we're at this point... With all the things we've done and said, and..."

Letting a sigh issue from her lips, a small smile bloomed beneath her pensive eyes.

"...I guess, now that its my last day here this week, I want to make it official. To you and I."

"I think we already have."

"Well, yeah, emotionally, yes. But I'm talking about the reality of things. Life stuff."

"Ah. Making a statement?"

"...Yes."

Turning aside, facing him bodily, her hands rose aloft, and he met them with his own, sharing comforting grasps of mutuality.

"I'm going to move here, to Tokyo. And when I do, when I'm living here, I'm going to go out with you."

Blinking from the youthful statement among her seriousness, he chuckled lightly.

"Desiring the title of girlfriend, are we?"

"If you'll be my boyfriend in return."

Chest shaking with continued chuckles, watching her expression try to fight back her own mirth, he then exhaled.

"Sounds like a plan... Hiyajo-san."

"Then I'll be getting right to it, Okabe- _san_."

Sharing a calm round of laughter from their fleeting banter, Okabe's vision lowered to their held hands, only to return to her face as the mirth faded, and a pensive expression of his own materialized.

"In all seriousness... You've for sure made up your mind?"

Eying him with intent as his spoken question swirled around in her conscious, she evaluated the sentence with a final conclusive moment of self-assurance, vision sinking to their hands in a similar manner.

 _Yes. A thousand times yes. I knew after that amazing evening at the planetarium... That train ride back... That was the tipping point. So yes, Okabe_... "...I have, and a lot of it is credited to you." _And with that established, the rest is up to me... To figure all this mess out with moving and transferring._

Vision flitting up as his hand released itself from her digits, nestling up against her cheek which reddened in response to his delicate touch, she watched with intimate wonderment as he stepped closer.

"Then I've made up mine as well."

"Y-Yeah?"

Watching as his expression somehow softened even further, her head relaxed against his hand, nearly melting.

"Generic designations aside... I want you in my life, Maho."

Poorly hiding the surge in heartbeat in her chest, her eyelids gently lowered among a smile.

"Funny thing is... I've wanted you in mine for a while now, Okabe."

"Is it alright if I'm not surprised?"

"I'm sure I've made it obvious."

"Somewhat."

Offering a quiet giggle, both of her eyes peeked back open after the hum of mirth.

"Well, anyway, that's about the best thing I've ever heard you say."

"For now."

"Oh yeah?"

"I-I mean, as far as..."

Opening both eyes, her nose repeatedly wrinkled with amusement, and his speech dissolved further away into nothing from her sun-lit expression.

"Is it alright if I understand what you mean?"

"Of course."

"Because I do, and..."

Calmly drifting off as he closed the distance, her lips curled into a brief smile from the glimpse, only to readily receive the incoming collision of his lips nudging unseen against her own.

_...Oh, do I love you._

* * *

**Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 8:20p.m.**

"Tab down a little bit."

"Okey dokey."

Seated on the top back of the computer couch, leaning closer to the screen with a hand on her chin, Maho studied a text file laden with strings of code, displayed broadly across the monitor. Ignoring the video and audio of an anime, watched by both Mayuri and Kurisu on the right-hand screen, a breath wandered from her nose as she read the complex combinations of characters.

"Ah. So that's... _Mkay_. Wondered."

"Careful Daru, your handiwork is under scrutinization by one of the Pacific region's finest."

"Hey man, as long as loli-tan approves of what she sees, this guy's alright with a-."

"What is that?"

"Huh? Oh. Here?"

"Yes. That entry with... Yeah. You realize you could just have that begin with the other two referenced executables further up, right?"

Glancing aside at Daru, who's mouth opened and shut in protest, he pushed his glasses closer to the bridge of his nose.

"It all starts in microseconds anyway."

"Yes, but you'd figure you want all referenced programs within the folder to be accessed at once for startup. Fragmentation is cause for delay."

"I think that's a matter of preference, but..."

"Microseconds shan't be wasted, Hashida."

"...Alright. As I said, it all boots properly, and that's the important part, so whatever."

Grinning from Daru's incomprehensible grumbles to follow, lowering her hand onto Okabe's head of hair, Maho rubbed his scalp with her fingertips as he sat in a lean against her slender leg.

_Didn't think I'd get a little coding in before we go, but hey... Nothing to shy away from, in the sanctuary of Akiba's birds of a feather._

Eying the messy hair among her knuckles, she smiled, distractedly listening to the humorous dialogue emitting from the computer's speakers.

_Makes me wonder... When I end up here in Tokyo again, will I spend more time here at the lab? Or will Okabe keep winding up at my place...?_

Sitting back with a hum, imagining a variety of future sleepovers in both locations, her heart beat steadily.

_Guess it won't matter... As long as I'm here with you, I'm sure either place will do._

* * *

**JR Akihabara Station, Akihabara, Tokyo; 9:54p.m.**

Standing among the circular concrete pillars of the train station's brightly illuminated bottom floor, a quartet of friends local and foreign stood in a small conversational congregation, only for one to check a pocket watch.

"Umm, Mayushii hates to interrupt, but she needs to head up to the platform up there so she can head home soon."

"You're fine, honey. We'll still be here for a little while longer."

"Oooh, but Mayushii's going to miss hanging out with her beautiful genius friends!"

Gathering Makise and Maho into enormous individual hugs, temporarily lifting Maho from her feet, a variety of laughter issued from lungs squeezed by her overwhelming embraces.

"I'll miss you too, Mayuri. I'm sure I'll find a time to visit again. How soon, I'm not exactly sure of, but..."

"Mmmm, Mayushii knows Makise-shi and Maho-chan will return. The American besties are always welcome to visit the lab whenever they are able to!"

"Thank you. We'll be sure to."

" _Mm!_ Though Mayushii is kinda sure Maho-chan will be coming back sooner than she thinks... To see a big cuddly Okarin."

Lips pursing from her teasing speech, not bothering to save face, Okabe's eyes wandered away as Mayuri and Kurisu both laughed, finally aligning with Maho's wayward vision, seeing a quietly hopeful expression on her features.

"Yeah... More than likely."

"Anywaayyy, Mayushii needs to catch her ten o'clock train home, but she'll be sure to talk to her friends on video chat like before!"

"We certainly will!"

"Make sure to tell Amadeus-chan all about this week too, okay?"

"Of course!"

Matching Mayuri's waving with their own, watching with amusement as she twirled in motion and sauntered up into the nearby stairwell, disappearing from sight, the remaining trio of university students stood still as the clatter of her footfall faded.

_Still wanting to keep Amadeus up to date on things... Interesting. Should have her be a tester again._

"I can't get over how much of a darling she is."

"Yeah. She could befriend anybody."

Glancing to Okabe in tandem, his chin rose in visible knowing.

"Mayuri is quite the kind soul."

"I feel like she would make an excellent tour guide."

"She already gives tours of the lab."

"Well, that's a one room apartment. Not that difficult."

Exhaling as the conversation continued to fade, Kurisu briefly searched for a wall clock, only to bring her phone from her pocket.

"Our train arrives is at ten thirty, right?"

"Yeah. Should get us to the airport by eleven."

"And the flight leaves after midnight, et cetera."

Looking around at their temporarily quiet surroundings, with only a hint of music echoing from speakers within the station's mall outlets, Kurisu then nodded aside.

"Why don't we wander and kill some time."

Glancing up to Okabe, who simply nodded, Maho then shrugged, scooping his hand into her own with a lean.

"Mkay."

* * *

**JR Keikyu Airport Line, Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo; 10:48p.m.**

Watching countless lights of the surrounding metropolis appear and vanish beyond various structures whizzing past in the foreground, with the cityscape otherwise cloaked under the darkness of a low moon, Okabe's mind wandered endlessly as he held onto one of the roof straps of the railcar he stood in. With Maho leaning against the steel pole ahead, and Kurisu hanging onto another strap in a similar manner, Okabe distractedly eyed both researchers of the Amadeus Project, bound for a return to the university they called home.

_I imagine nothing much has been accomplished at their University as of late... With Maho leaving her laptop and her AI programming behind. She came here for personal business, not for work, and now..._

"Hey."

"Hm?"

Looking down as Maho peeked back at him, only to turn further, his ongoing thoughts faded away.

"Remember the first time we traveled together like this?"

"I do."

Chin rising from a synapse of memory as she promptly shoved her suitcase against the center pole, he stepped forward, trapping the hard-sided luggage against the steel rod with his legs. Hopping up onto the perch with a flounce, and then leaning back against him, Maho instantly smiled as he set his chin atop her head, arms surrounding her sides protectively.

"Clearly. That took seconds."

"Cooperative efforts for a common goal." _...Being an improved seat for you, and a cuddle for both of us. Of course I remember._

Sighing silently as she settled bodily against him, her verdant eyes closing from the gentle rocking of the commuter train's travels, Okabe calmly glanced aside, only to notice Kurisu was turning away, stifling a giggle. Waiting patiently for her inevitable peek back, only to realize his attention was now garnered, Kurisu looked between her best friend, and the young man keeping her secure in his arms.

_She's about to move back here because of you, Rintarou. Hope you're ready to have her in your daily life... She's quite the firecracker, as I'm sure you've found out here and there._

Grinning from the thought, and several witnessed moments of his patience amidst her rambles and emotions, she eyed him with approval, finally offering a wink.

_Just keep her fed, pet her hair, and let her sleep as much as she needs. She's like a big cat. If you can handle basic care like that... I'm sure you two will be just fine._

* * *

**Haneda (Tokyo International) Airport, Ota Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 11:08p.m.**

Nearing security, with two of three hearts jack-hammering inside the chests of a trio of young adults, memories of a prior separation months before returned with a vengeance, swirling through the minds of both computer scientists as they calmly walked through the terminal's main concourse. Keeping pace beside Maho's shorter stride with reserved footfall, Okabe glanced towards the fuzzy feline head of Tucker Tuxedo, peeking out of the top of Maho's backpack as it bounded along behind her shoulders, and among a bushy ponytail of hair.

_Can hardly believe its already been an entire week... With hardly a single hour outside of school wasted. Now we're here at the airport at a late hour... Minutes to spare between now and an unforgivingly long, quiet period of waiting. And yet..._

Hearing a delicate sigh issue from the young woman beside himself, nearing a familiar spot of floor a stone's throw from the airport's security screening, Okabe drew to a halt alongside her, and in just as swift of realization, Kurisu halted in a turn, only to look between both of them, beginning a trifecta of varying expressions. Then, breaking the deafening silence, Makise stuck out her arm towards Okabe, who turned with curiosity, only to recognize her intent.

"Well, I guess this is farewell for now, mister red sweater."

Blinking, and smiling slightly from the dated nickname, he met her hand with his own,

"So it would seem, Amadeus incarnate."

Laughing lightly from his own offering, watching as his head lowered into a slight bow, their shaking hands calmly drifted apart, and Kurisu glanced aside to Maho, only to grin amidst a whirl of auburn hair as she spun on the heel of a half-folded dress boot.

"I'll be just past security, Maho."

"Gotcha."

Waiting patiently as her taller compatriot strode away, suitcase in tow, Maho then turned fully to Okabe, releasing hold of the handle of her own monstrous rolling luggage. At first attempting to maintain confident intent, her shoulders sank in a sigh of deflation as he offer both of his hands to her.

"Well... Here we are."

"Yeah."

"This isn't goodbye. I-I mean, not like it was last time."

"I know."

Exhaling from his simple answer and nod, she gripped his palms tighter.

"I'll be back as soon as I can manage. I definitely won't let it fade like last time either. I promise." _I promise you this, because I wouldn't be able to forgive myself... Not after this amazing week, and definitely not with how miserable I was before... God. To think I was actually on the verge of letting you go! What the hell was wrong with me back then? Too busy doing the same old shit? Who was I even kidding...?_

"You take as long as you need, Maho. I'll be here, waiting for your return."

Letting the tail end of his statement echo in her mind, her mouth opened, only to shut again. Then, rising up to his endlessly calm expression that never ceased to lift her soul, she blossomed in to a magnificent smile, heart singing.

"I know, and... I love you."

Cupping her cheek in his palm with ease, he eyed her with gentle, obvious affirmation.

"I love you."

Releasing an emotion-laden breath, Maho sprung upward onto the tips of her toes, tucking into the first of several short, wet smooches, only to settle into one long, relaxing connection. Drawing in another breath through her nose as his hands wandered into her mane of hair, fingers spreading in a comforting wander through her lengthy locks, both of them remained in the kiss with ease.

_You're mine... And so are your kisses. Like this one... The last one we'll share for a while... Damn, heart of mine, who knew a Japanese guy could kiss like this?_

Drawing apart with extreme reluctance, their eyes slowly met again, lips pursing in a savoring of the intimacy that teasingly slipped away.

_A mysterious Japanese man... Filling me with love and hope that I finally realized I needed... Maybe you'll be in my dreams somewhere on this long flight back. That'd be nice._

"I'll see you soon... Okay?"

"I'll be waiting for you."

Throat tightening, swallowing down the flood of emotion that seemed to finally arrive, she gazed at him with misty eyed finality.

 _I know._ "I know." _How many times are we going to say what we already know? As many as it takes, because we crave the reassurance... Its only human, after all._

Rushing forward, colliding into a great tight hug, a hot, sad breath blew into his chest, and he sank down, pressing a kiss into the top of her head, nesting his nose into her bushy hair as she nuzzled his chest. Then, with another exhale, and as strong of a squeeze as her slender arms could manage, Maho backed away, watching as his newly freed hands tucked into his shorts pockets.

"So, um, message me, or better yet, call me whenever you want... I assure you I'll never be too busy to hear your voice."

"Likewise."

Head sinking with an unexpected blush, she turned away.

_Oh you... It'll take me all of a few minutes to miss your voice... Amongst other things._

"Goodbye... Okabe."

"Goodbye for now, Maho."

Grinning, and finally rotating bodily, towing her suitcase into motion, she exhaled heavily, somehow keeping her emotions at bay.

_For now. Yes. Because I'll be back. I promise. You just wait... You hazel eyed mystery, that I love so freaking much... Damn._

* * *

Looking up from her phone as Maho trotted over, luggage in tow, Kurisu smiled as her best friend drew up beside her with a funny look on her face, turning into motion and maintaining a slower pace.

"So, Maho, now that you've had all week... Did you figure out your feelings?"

"Sure did."

"And...?"

Peeking over her shoulder at the hazel-eyed college student in the distance, fingers tightening around the handle of her suitcase from his waving hand, she swallowed, forging onward.

"I figured out where I belong."

"Japan?"

"That... And in that big sweet heart of his."

Grinning from the resolve audible in her voice, Kurisu then glanced at the large green eyes of Tucker Tux, following the stuffed feline's line of sight back to the distinctly tall stature of Okabe far behind.

_Don't worry, Tuck. You'll see mister Rintarou again..._

"Sounds good, senpai."


	21. 10101

_**01010110 01101001 01100111 01101110 01100101 01110100 01110100 01100101 01110011** _

* * *

**Sunday, May 6th, 2012; All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300ER, Flight NH-106; Western Pacific Ocean; 2:17a.m.**

Sitting back in a slight recline, among the left-hand aisle of the aircraft's main cabin, with sleepy eyes staying reluctantly open from a blend of fatigue and emotion, Maho's heart beat in a steady, aching throb, swiping back and forth through a variety of coveted pictures kept safe in her phone's image gallery.

_Two hours in, cruising altitude... And I can't sleep._

Glancing aside to Kurisu seated next to her, with earbuds tucked beneath her hair and eyes closed, a sigh parted her lips from the sight.

_She can. But she's not feeling the way I am. Stuck in a plane, actively taking me further from the place I belong... Oh, jet airliner, you might be carrying me away for now, but I'll be back. One day soon... You just wait, Okabe._

Slowly turning aside among the dim interior lighting of the aircraft's sleepy cabin, her eyes searched into the pitch black darkness beyond the window, only finding hints of recent memories reflecting on the circular plates of glass, with echoes of his voice and laughter teasing her imagination among the steady roar of jet turbines.

_Damn. This really is happening, huh buddy?_

Looking down at the fuzzy black and white snout of the stuffed cat seated on her bosom, blanketed by a hoodie spread across her front, Maho's eyelids settled shut, chin resting atop its head.

_I fell in love with a boy in Japan... And now I'm gearing up to move out there, so I can keep on seeing him._

Imagining the feline plush purring, a tired smile spread across her lips, and fresh trails of tears squeezed free, coursing along her cheekbones.

_What a feeling... And its all just begun._

* * *

**A-N-A NH-106; Eastern Pacific Ocean; 1:04p.m.**

"Hey mom!"

" _Maho? Its been a while! You really should call us more often, with all your globe trotting you do_."

"Well, funnily enough I'm on a plane at the moment... Just left Tokyo a few hours ago."

" _Tokyo? You were in Japan again? Why didn't you say so and come visit?_ "

"Sorry, I just... Well, Kurisu and I both flew out for the week."

" _Another expo?_ "

"No, um, it wasn't for work this time around."

" _Vacation?_ "

"Yes, sort of."

Looking aside from the temporary silence over the call, eyes meeting a discreetly listening Makise, both of them exchanged rising eyebrows and fleeting smiles.

"... _Did you meet someone, Maho?_ "

Bursting into a quiet giggle, her eyes drifted along the plastic fascia of the plane's interior.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

" _Motherly instinct, dear. When you were younger, you only ever repeated travels when something caught your interest, and seeing how you're now returning from Tokyo twice in half a year_..."

"I, well, it was for good reason!"

" _A boy, right?_ "

"Yes. An amazing one."

" _Oh, do tell, young lady._ "

"Well, he's a total sweetheart. Tall, hazel eyed and messy-haired and handsome... A huge nerd, and an excellent college student, and..."

" _Is that the one you met the first time you were there?_ "

"Yes. It is." _I must have mentioned him back then, huh._

" _He sounds like quite the optimal young man. He lives in Tokyo, right?_ "

"Ikebukero. Well, Akihabara too. Definitely a city boy."

" _How old is he?_ "

"Twenty."

" _What's his name?_ "

"Rintarou, Okabe."

" _Hmm... So after meeting him the first time, you returned to see him again._ "

"Sure did, and it made for an amazing week. I don't even know where to begin, but... Oh, um, on that note, actually..."

" _Which note?_ "

"Seeing him. I'm... Well, I want to keep doing so. So I'm going to transfer to online work with the university, and move to Tokyo."

Sitting through another pause in the conversation, Maho's breath remained held in her lungs.

" _Goodness. He must be something special for you to want to move across the ocean again_."

"He is, and I know. I'm... I've made up my mind about it, so I just wanted you to know what I'm planning on doing."

" _Obviously you'll get things lined out with the university... Tokyo, huh? I honestly would not have have pictured you living in Honshu's capitol region._ "

"Well mom... People do crazy things for love."

" _I know. Your father can attest to that... Anyway, whenever you wind up on our side of things again, be sure to visit us!_ "

"I will! I definitely plan to. I've been thinking a lot about Okinawa lately, so don't worry."

" _Bring that boy along too. We'd like to meet him_."

Laughing among a slight blush, her head flopped aside against the wall, glancing out at the soft midday clouds beyond the window.

"Kay!"

"Anyway, dear, thank you for calling. We're going to bed here soon, but let us know if you need anything."

"I will. I'll text you when we land too."

" _Sounds good. Love you!_ "

"Love you!"

Tapping on the screen of her phone to end the call, Maho then set the device onto the fold-out tray in front of herself, releasing a breath of relief.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine. She just wants me to contact them more often... And to meet Okabe at some point."

Humming with amusement, Kurisu eyed her shorter friend with a tilted turn of her head.

"Gonna take your sweet love to a tropical island getaway?"

"Sure. That sounds like a good time... Meet my goofy parents. Plus he can have homemade eats, and... _Ooh_. Could see him in swimming trunks."

"There we go."

Grinning from the thought, Maho took in a hefty inhale, releasing it in a strong sigh.

_Yep. Just keep looking forward, me. The days will pass, and before I know it, I'll be in his arms again, with cuddles and kisses whenever I need. Just what I need, from who I need._

Pressing a side button on her phone, with the screen illuminating and showing a temporary picture of a red-and-black dressed Okabe, a smile crept up along the corner of her mouth.

_Yeah, you. Man of mystery... Just give me a little more time, and I'll make you mine. I promise._

* * *

**Monday, May 7th, 2012; Viktor Chondria University, Los Angeles, California; 10:38a.m.**

Blasting through the hinged doorway of the brain science development room, brimming with determination in her petite stature, Maho walked straight towards Professor Leskinen several meters away, puffing up her chest as she stormed past Kurisu's desk.

"Welcome back, Hiyajo."

Mouth opening from the calm greeting of the currently-distracted professor, her small hands balled up beside her hips as she drew to a halt.

"I'm transferring to the university's online curriculum."

Finally turning and looking at Maho, blinking from the outburst, Alexis then glanced aside to Kurisu further beyond. Realizing she was knowingly calm, writing on paperwork with a hint of a smile, he then leaned on the desk next to himself.

"To think you just returned from Tokyo, Maho... Were you not there long enough?"

"Apparently not, sir."

"Is this in regards to the Rintarou matter I hear of?"

Closing her eyes, letting an upcoming grimace pass, Maho nodded with affirmation.

"That, and other personal reasons. I'm planning to move to Tokyo."

"To be closer to your boyfriend, no doubt."

Unable to resist a blush from the statement, she shrugged.

"As it happens, Maho, the institute there in Wakoshi is due to open fairly soon. While you two have been off on your vacationing, I've been lining out details regarding our program's relocation to the Tokyo region."

Gathering both Maho and Kurisu's surprised attentions, Alexis then laughed lightly, especially from Maho's blinking gape.

"So, worry not about transferring to online work, misses Hiyajo. Recent circumstances have all of us slated to wind up there in due time."

"Oh. That's... New. I mean, I figured we'd end up working with the institute, but, relocating there?"

"A natural home for neurological work like ours."

"And the university has approved it, obviously."

"As an extension of the exchange program both of you are familiar with, they certainly have."

Whirling back to Kurisu, both young women began grinning, and Maho's arms crossed.

"Well, then I guess I'm not needing to switch to online work."

"Acting so hastily, Maho, when everything is slated to work out anyway."

"Hey, I'm just... Working on my own future, sir."

"I have no complaints, Maho."

"When are we going to end up there?"

"Just under three months. August first will mark the opening of the institute's doors to neurological researchers from all walks of life."

"Oh, three?"

"Not soon enough?"

"I'm... I might end up heading out there sooner, honestly."

"Then do as you wish in the meantime."

Nodding from his approval, Maho's fingers unfurled, and she stepped aside, plopping into her own desk chair a few paces away.

_Dang. All of a sudden we're all ending up in Tokyo anyway... This is beyond convenient. Plus, that means..._

Glancing across to Kurisu, quietly reading and alternating between a pen and occasional pattering on a keyboard, Maho began smiling even more.

_I won't be leaving you behind for too long... Cause it sounds like you'll just end in Japan with me anyway._

* * *

**Friday, May 25th, 2012; Viktor Chondria University Dormitories, Unit 52; 4:14p.m.**

Staring at a stack of recently acquired and unassembled moving boxes in her dormitory, sitting on the clear floor, Maho's legs remained folded, with arms resting in her lap, and a fat bundle of bubble wrap captive behind her back.

_Alright. Got all this stuff, annddd, trying to figure out how to begin. How about we just set a daily goal for now? Okay. Pack one box a day. Everything non-essential to daily functions. Fourteen boxes in fourteen days. Two whole weeks, and I'll be steadily closer with each box filled. That'll get us partway into June, and then whatever else after that. Ship everything on the last week of June, and then ship myself. Or fly myself... Whatever._

Plucking a nearby tape gun from the floor, she reached forward and drug the first sheet closer, folding flaps and dragging fresh packing tape across the cardboard.

_Point is, the sooner we get this task done, the better._

Cutting the clear adhesive strip free and pressing it down with a swipe of her palm, a preperative breath emptied her lungs.

_One box tonight, another tomorrow... And another step closer to you, Okabe-san._

Adding several more layered strips of tape, and then flipping the open container over, she peeked down into its depths, and then looked around at the belongings scattered throughout her dormitory.

_Hmm, first things first... Decorations. The sooner this room looks less inviting, the more I'll want to get out of here. Self-antagonistic motivation should work nicely, which means... Its time to clear the walls, and the desk._

* * *

**Saturday, June 2nd, 2012; Mandarake Complex, Akihabara, Tokyo; 11:13a.m.**

Slowly walking among busy display shelving, loaded full of assembled and boxed scale models of vehicles and spacecraft, Okabe's eyes scrutinized the miniature offerings in all directions, distractedly searching for an eye-catching item among the floor's quiet space.

_If memory serves from a time before, misses Hiyajo seems inclined towards small scale warships. Seems she's the sort to only tolerate tedium when she assigns it to herself, which is certainly understandable and... What's this?_

Stopping beside the end of the shelving, his eyes magnetized towards the depicted artwork of a world war two submersible vessel on the face of a card-stock package.

_Type seven submarine... Of the Kreigsmarine. Isn't her warship also of the... German Navy?_

Head rising from synapses of recollection, his brow furrowed, only to relax as a smile lifted onto his lips.

_If I didn't know any better, this might be what she found on our first date, and declined to purchase. If that's the case..._

Gently grasping and lifting the plastic-sealed box, met with a slight rattle of parts contained within, he turned it over, inspecting the backside and glancing across additional information and imagery.

 _...Perhaps I'll acquire it instead, and prove that I can still handle scale models. One she possibly wanted to boot. Even if it somehow isn't, she'll be surprised, certainly_.

Turning on his heel and proceeding back out of the shelving space, heading for the spiral stairwell servicing the building, he began grinning as he hustled down the steps.

_Right then. Going to be cutting my teeth again on something a little out of the ordinary... Lets see if these hands of mine can wrestle plastic into assembled order again._

* * *

**Thursday, June 7th, 2012; Future Data Laboratory, Akihabara, Tokyo; 7:10p.m.**

Sitting on one end of the apartment's coffee table, head propped upon her arms and held aloft from the tarnished furniture, Mayuri watched with great, patient interest as Okabe carefully manipulated the hull of a model boat in his hands, steadily fitting and gluing on small parts in unspoken silence. Smiling from the endless concentration in his expression, perfectly content with peaceful observation after an earlier dinner, she exhaled with quiet amusement from another of his grunts of inspection.

_Okarin hasn't done one of these in years... And Mayushii is really happy that he is! He's good at his computering, but a man with creative magic in his fingertips needs to have other hobbies too. I'm sure he's realized this, so nothing needs to be said... He's doing really well too! That boat looks good already, and he's almost a week into it. Good on you, Okarin... Slow and steady wins the race, like you've said._

Eyes flitting towards his furrowed brow, watching as it relaxed, she studied his facial features with a decade of familiarity stirring her heart behind her folded arms.

_Mayushii knows you've been slow and steady with other things too. Waiting patiently for misses Maho-chan to come back and bring her fun-sized adorableness back into your life... If there's one thing you've never admitted to being good at, Okarin, its how long you're willing to wait for things. Especially things and people that are really important to you. You've waited for me so many times and for so many things, and now, you're waiting for a pretty little green lady to fill that empty spot in your heart you don't talk about._

Face curling into a discreet smile, her head tilted slightly to lazily hide it from his vision.

_And once she does fill that spot up, and both of you are super happy, I bet you'll find your whole life laid out ahead of you, you big nerdy goofball. Maho-chan is a big smartie in a little body, with a super huge amount of personality stuffed in there too, but from I've seen, you've been more than able to handle all of it, so Mayushii isn't worried. Actually, she wonders if miss Maho can handle you in the long run! Not that there's anything bad about you, don't worry. Detective Mayushii would have sniffed out Okarin's bad habits and fixed them long ago, so both of you are in good shape, hehee...!_

Humming with mirth, briefly pulling Okabe's attention over and spreading a momentary smile onto his lips, both childhood friends shared the fleeting moment of amusement.

_Anyway, Mayushii will still be keeping tabs on you, even when your big heart is keeping misses Maho's safe and warm. No matter where you two end up, I'll be around if you ever need advice on lady things, or even if you just want to have any kind of party. Mayushii is here for you, just like always, so don't you forget it!_

* * *

**Sunday, June 10th, 2012; Akihabara, Tokyo; 3:53p.m.**

"So I have a thing."

"Mm, what sort of thing?"

"Allow me to show you."

Eyebrow perking with growing interest and amusement, Maho watched through a webcam lens as Okabe stepped out of view, only to reappear in front of the device seconds later in a kneel, lifting a fully-assembled plastic model of a submarine into view, resting on a stand in his palms.

"Oooooohhh, is that what I think it is?"

"Certainly is. Just finished it as of yesterday."

"Oh my gosh, you built that?"

Grinning as her hands squished against her cheeks with elation, he gently set the model in front of the webcam.

"I did, and its waiting in the dry dock for your arrival."

"Eheeheee you built a model kit! I thought you haven't done one of these in years! It looks amazing!"

"Its been probably a decade, admittedly."

"Well, I haven't seen any of your old models but this one looks great! Can you turn it?"

"Of course."

Gently twisting the warship to a new diagonal position, a hum of inspection and mirth wandered from the computer's speakers.

"Wait, is this that type seven I saw back in... Holy crap, it is, isn't it?"

Chin rising bashfully, Okabe looked away, unable to resist a grin.

"Possibly."

"Oh my god you adorable, humongous goof...! That's amazing that you found it, or at least one similar... Just wait until we get some paint and weathering on this thing. Then it'll really pop!"

Smiling with bashful pride from from her excitement, he slowly turned the model again on the table, distractedly watching as her green eyes remained thoroughly focused on her laptop's built-in webcam.

_I guess her excitement is appropriate, considering her model of the Prinz Eugan is hiding inside a box currently, and I haven't done this for years._

"I'm going to need your assistance with paintwork, to be honest."

"That's fine! I mean, even as just bare grey plastic, I can't wait to see it in person. There's only one of that class of U-boat left in the world."

Vision rising from the model in hand, back to the computer screen ahead, a mutual moment of silent smiles and beating hearts ensued.

"I can't wait to see you in person."

"Yeah. Same. Definitely. I've been needing your kind of cuddles so bad lately... You don't even know."

"I think I do."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Right now I wish I could reach through the screen and hold you close."

"Awww... Please freaking do. If I could just phase through a virtual window then I wouldn't have to bother with airfare."

"Computation teleportation?"

"Our next project once Amadeus is finished... Haha."

"I have a feeling that sort of technology won't come to fruition for a while."

"That's my point, sadly."

"Well, regardless... I'm sure you're counting the days by this point."

"Yes I am, and they're not passing by fast enough."

"The last week of June, right?"

"Yep. Two weeks and I'm out of here, and touching down there... Hopefully forever."

"Sounds good."

"You're telling me."

"I'll be there when you arrive."

"Oh, I know. Hope you'll be ready for kisses."

"Certainly."

"Hehee, thought so."

Head rolling aside into a tilt, a sigh of reluctance issued from her lips upon realization of the time.

"Well... I should be getting shuteye. Its just now midnight here in L-A."

"At least you still have the rest of the weekend ahead."

"Yes, and hopefully it vanishes swiftly."

"Agreed."

Remaining still, captive in a moment of virtual gazes, Maho's small hands rose up beneath her chin, holding up her fingers in a heart shape, only to be emulated by Okabe seconds later.

"I love you."

"Love you too."

Grinning and exhaling from the emotion-laden reaffirmations, both computer scientists remained still, hesitant to end the online call, only for Maho to finally reach aside to the multicolored glow of her computer mouse.

"I'll talk to you in however many hours, alright?"

"Alrighty."

"Good night!"

"Goodnight."

* * *

**Sunday, June 10th, 2012; Los Angeles, California, USA; 00:03a.m.**

Rising from her elbow and sitting back in her chair as the Skype call ended, Maho glanced around with a back and forth twisting of her desk chair, vision wandering along several low stacks of sealed cardboard boxes lining the walls of the room, and her large open suitcase sitting beside her dormitory's bed.

_Maybe this packing and moving process is less of a pain in the ass than I remember... Or maybe the factor is where and why you're moving... But regardless. I'm mentally ready, and just about physically ready. Now I just need to ship all these boxes across the ocean, and then fling myself across too._

Spinning back around to the bare desk, closing several windows on the laptop and finally clicking on a prompt to shut it down, she slowly closed the screen together with a click of a latch, listening patiently as the device's fans continued to whir, pushing out warm air. Then, after several long seconds, it faded into silence, and she slipped off the seat, plopping onto her bare feet in a heading towards the room's light switch.

_Then I'll figure out where to set up, after coming in for a landing... Into Okabe-san's long, warm, cuddly arms._

Swiping the switch down, and checking the deadbolt of the room in an automatic motion, she wandered back across the dark room, padding across empty carpeting.

_In the meantime... Gonna sleep another couple of hours away. Get us one day closer, right?_

Flopping forward onto the bed, dragging herself further onto the mess of sheets, she rolled over twice, twisting her legs into the thin layers of linen.

_Yeah. Another night, and another day, over and over... And to think that boy of mine is waiting, just like me._

Fumbling for the soft plush feline napping beneath her pillow, and bringing him into a nuzzle against her neck, she rolled aside, flopping bodily against the cool bare drywall.

_It won't be long, Tucker buddy. Soon we'll be heading back to the place we both belong... And I sure can't wait. Its been a long time since I've been so worked up like this... But I guess that's just one of the funny things love does to us. Can barely go a couple hours without thinking about all of it. About him and everything that comprises his adorable, handsome ass... God. Have you ever needed someone so bad? 'Cause I sure do, and he's five thousand miles away right now._

Eyes closing, an aching breath seeped from her chest, and she squeezed the stuffed feline tighter in her slender arms.

_Damn. Hang in there, Okabe. Two more weeks, I promise. Then I'm all yours._


	22. 10110

 

**Saturday, July 7th, 2012; Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo; 6:44p.m.**

Listening to the low roar of active air conditioning, with a much-welcomed current of cool air issuing from vents hidden among scattered and partly unpacked shipping boxes, a pair of computer scientists occupied the bare mattress of a compact single-room apartment, previously subject to an afternoon of hauling packages and belongings into the new living space. With the fading light of the setting sun peeking in through the room's window, illuminating a stack of empty pizza cartons sitting on the middle of a small half-circle table, the smells of Japanese-style delivery lingered among the manufactured breeze pushing into the living space.

_Saturday evening... While most of this city's populace are out and about on adventures, we're resting from the toils of relocation. Concluding one adventure, and starting another._

Blinking tiredly, chest rising and falling beneath the slender body of a young woman reclined across his lap, both of them propped onto separate stacks of pillows behind, Okabe's lips curled into a smile as he glanced down to Maho once more, watching the ever-fascinating sight of verdant irides alighting upon his own, beneath the calm flapping of lashes.

_To think we've actually come to this point, too. You're here in your compact entirety, with all of your things, in a place of your own. Just like you promised, and just like we planned... We made it happen. Somehow._

Brushing the tips of his fingers along her scalp, carefully navigating up and around her ear, his heart beat a little more as she absorbed the sensation with visible entrancement. Tilting further down, eyebrow rising, he was met with a slight quirk of her own brow, and an exchange of silent laughs parted their lips among their gaze.

_This sure is something, huh? No more time limits, no ocean to cross... I'm just, here. Here at last, in my own home, in the middle of Tokyo. I've been here, well, over there in Akiba for a few days. Hanging out like before, and staying over in the lab, just like you promised you could arrange... And yet you still did even more than I expected anyway, you amazing goof. Providing a landing zone while I found a place to move me and my stuff into... And now that we've done all that, you're here with me... And I think we both can say we've gotten an achievement unlocked._

Turning her head aside, nuzzling his chest with her nose and taking in a breath, her slender digits squeezed between his larger fingers, hands resting on the light fabric of a T-shirt spread across her stomach.

_Boyfriend, and girlfriend._

Exhaling deeply, turning upward in a peek towards his chin and seeing his same calm smile that greeted her at Haneda Airport days before, she stirred with a returning surge of ongoing elation as his hand remained among her expanse of hair, lazily combing locks back in small repeating motions.

_Yeah. Damn, I like the sound of that. Especially because the best achievements are the ones that took a lot of work to get to... And let me tell you how satisfying it is to say those words. Just thinking about it makes me warm and fuzzy too. Just like everything else this boy does to me.  
_

Eyelids drifting shut, cheeks tinting with warmth as the bends of his knuckles caressed her face in passive sweeping touches, seeps of breath continued to pass in and out in emotion-laden exchange.

_Okabe... I told you I'd make it here, and make you mine. All I needed was time, which you gave me. And for that, and many other things..._

Toes curling, feet hanging over the edge of the mattress, she squeezed his hand a little bit tighter.

_I love you, so very much... My hazel-eyed man of mystery._

* * *

**Tuesday, September 4th, 2012; Tokyo Denki University, Adachi, Tokyo; 4:49p.m.**

"...Also visible among the settings for desktop customization is support for animated backgrounds, generally of graphic interchange format, but capable of supporting slideshows and, uh, short length videos as well. In this case, we just have the default picture in a rainbow spectrum fade of sorts."

Pointing upwards toward the enormous projected display of a computer desktop behind, with a slowly glowing background of stylized block text displaying 'SYMPHONY' among a variety of icons lining the sides of the screen, Okabe exhaled away from the microphone in hand, sweating from the combination of dress clothes, and the presence of the whispering class population in the college's auditorium.

_Good lord its warm in here for being almost entirely unlit... Who's in charge of the air conditioning?_

Realizing a continuing moment of silent inactivity, he glanced towards Daru, who was seated nearby in front of a laptop, in control of the computer screen being actively displayed.

_Right. The context menu. That one seems to be an attention-getter._

"...One of the critical components of general user operation is the presence of a contextual menu, which is especially essential to all of us here that put our machines through their paces with code work. Allow me to present a fresh take on the rectangular boxes of boredom that you are all no doubt used to."

Nodding discreetly towards his overweight compatriot, and glancing upward, a circular menu expanded outward from the on-screen cursor, and with a drift of the pointer around several wedges, additional selections expanded neatly into horizontal spaces, curving from the diagonal partitions with streamlined design, and his heart beat with excitement and uncertainty as a variety of low voices and whispers arose from the audience beyond.

"Springing forth from a right click on your cursory device of choice, is a radial menu with far more visual interactivity to select from. The gear cast into the middle of the space allows access to additional settings, and custom shortcuts can be added and removed from the empty wedge partitions seen on the left. For those more inclined towards visual flair, further animation is possible, and for those desiring simplicity, the menu can be tamed to a smaller size, lessening the menu's impact on screen space."

Supervising the resulting expansion and contraction of the menu's presence, reflecting his prior speech, Okabe then turned aside, glancing out towards the audience, only to discern the waving movement of an outstretched arm somewhere in the middle of the rows of seated occupants.

"Oh, a question?"

" _Yes!_ "

Blinking from the distant shout, and then watching as a white-dressed figure rose to their feet, he held the microphone outward in response, watching a variety of nearby heads turn.

"I was just wondering, with what you've stated and shown regarding visual customization... Have you implemented any sort of color cross-fading for users that prefer to have more than one color visible?"

Blinking from the suddenly familiar speech meeting his ears, his lips parted in mind-whirling surprise from the also familiar prompt.

_Good heavens, Maho is here? What in the world, and how_... "A-Ah, yes, there are in fact such features available. Hashida?"

Turning around, watching as a digital palette of color appeared on the screen, along with a selection of available combinations and fade styles, a random selection was clicked, promptly changing the status bars and various details of the program's windows into a trifecta of blended colors.

"Oooh, I see. Very nice! Thank you!"

Watching as the distant figure sat down, disappearing from sight, Okabe's face tried valiantly to hide a goofy grin, turning away towards the projected imagery.

_I'm, uh, huh. Had no idea the girlfriend would be here. Bearing witness to my class project's demonstration... She tested it while it was still in Alpha development anyway, so she's seen almost all of this before... Which means she's probably just here for my sake. Right then. Your moral support is duly appreciated, partner-of-mine._

Blinking as his phone vibrated in his pocket, and then glancing aside to Daru who eyed him with a quirked brow, Okabe then inhaled, whirling around with an injection of personality.

"As has been requested and displayed, up to three colors can be implemented into the shell's color scheme to satisfy anyone's palate, no matter how vibrant or dull."

Imagining varying shades of green displayed on Maho's laptop, additionally hosting the operating system being demonstrated, he then smiled from the memory as whispers of interest continued beyond.

_...And as it happens, such a feature was requested for implementation by the emerald eyed enigma seated among all of you. Be warned, fellow classmates, for you are in the presence of a truly magnificent programmer._

"With such flexibility available, one can naturally experiment with an infinite amount of cosmetic customization. However, these are merely superficial details. The real show begins once you open the lid to the component parts within."

Chin rising as Daru began navigating through a variety of main folders on the system's architecture, the corner of his cheek curled further upward with pride.

"Visible here, is the main zone of the system's navigable folders, with immediately recognizable names and purposes. Clicking on the option to display the root-path of any folder or file, promptly displays a linear path of the file's location through its parent folders, much like the branches of a tree leading towards its central trunk."

Watching as the cursor clicked on several folders, only to highlight an errant text document, a projected image of staggered vertical lines appeared, tucked neatly beside a listing of folders on the path.

"With the file path displayed, a shortcut can also be anchored with the path address, and can be deposited wherever desired."

Glancing out into the audience as his phone vibrated again, a ripple of temperature change coursed through his skin beneath the trapped heat of long sleeves.

_Almost five o'clock... To think I have another half hour of standing up here. Plus the girlfriend is watching and waiting... Blast. This hour of presentation is crucial and yet they insist on frying us in an amphitheater oven for the duration. Even a desk fan would be appreciable right now... Warding off either melting or spontaneous combustion. Possibly both if it gets any warmer...!_

* * *

Leaning back against a hallway wall beneath a large roof vent, taking in a face-full of fan-driven cool air, Okabe remained in a slump, sleeves rolled up along his arms and a backpack drooping from his hand.

_I'm not one to complain normally, but doing all that in that auditorium was a strange form of t-_

"Hey, you."

Attention whirling aside, descending to the compact stature of Hiyajo Maho beside him, an exhale emptied his lungs as he shuffled aside into an automatic alignment, promptly greeted by the bodily collision of the young woman into his chest.

"Afternooo, _wait_ , evening?"

"Yep. You're really warm right now."

"Mm. More than normal?"

"Yeah."

"It was dreadful up there on the stage."

Bringing her shoulders closer to himself into an embrace, their eyes met as she peeked up towards his fatigued expression with amusement, only for his attention to sink lower to the guest pass hanging from a lanyard beneath her neck.

"...Aren't you hot in that lab coat?"

"Its a little warm. Probably will lose it once we go outside."

"Ah."

"Did I surprise you?"

"Certainly did. I thought you would still be at the institute or something."

Offering a shrug, Maho's head sank aside in a lean.

"Honestly there was nothing crucial going on that can't get done a later day. Plus a certain AI reminded me that your demonstration was occurring this afternoon."

"Makise-two?"

"Who else?"

"Right."

"So I came here on the tail end of whoever was before you, and watched your whole presentation."

"Was it worthwhile?"

"Of course, silly! You did pretty well for publicly speaking."

"I did?"

"Yes. You were funnier than you probably realized."

"Oh, really? Presenting like that isn't my favorite or forte, but I suppose I managed."

"Try being a translator. Two languages at once in front of an audience."

"No thanks."

Giggling from his expected rejection, her arm rose free from his side, index finger extending as it wandered up and gently poked his nose.

"Anyway, hope you can manage having dinner with me. My treat!"

"Of course. Where to?"

Pulling away and grasping his hand, she began leading him along towards the mouth of the hallway with a spree of energy.

"Wherever you feel like!"

Grinning increasingly as both of them wound through a variety of passerby and curious onlookers in a steady heading towards the school's main entryway, with a petite Maho of Amadeus' fame towing along her much taller boyfriend with a mirthy smirk, both computer scientists kept a firm grasp on the other's hand, heading for a new adventure.

_...Just as long as I'm there with you._

* * *

**September 4th, 2012; Adachi Ward, Tokyo; 6:11p.m.**

Seated side by side in the smooth-sided booth of a fast-food restaurant, working through mouthfuls of thick hamburgers and plucking pairs of golden french fries from a massive pile on a shared tray, a temporary trade of mirthy messy-mouthed smiles ensued between Maho and Okabe, with their noticeably differing heights bearing no impact on their enjoyment of a peaceful meal together.

_Already getting into fall, and its still marvelously warm... Another little reason why being here on the islands is an improvement._

Tearing another sizable bite from the juicy sandwich in her grasp, decimating the mouthful with vigor, her mind continued to wander freely.

_Soon the trees will start turning... And we can go for walks among the leaves. Scheming and dreaming up evil plans. Right, Okabe?_

Peeking at him, watching as he wiped his face clear of food remains, he then offered a fresh napkin to her, waiting patiently as she swiped it across her lips in response, brows perking with nose-wrinkling amusement.

_'Of course, Maho. Evil deeds the likes of which this city's networking has never seen. Muahahaa!'_

Restraining her teeth behind her lips with a grin from the imagined speech and evil laughter, she flopped aside, trapping a majority of her ponytail against his arm. Squeezing his free hand resting on her lap, feeling a cautious tightening of his larger hand around hers, her eyelids lowered with elation.

_Evil plans aside... Fall season dates will probably be infinitely amazing. Just as amazing as they are in the rest of the seasons... Seeing as we've already done winter, spring and summer. That's kinda awesome, actually. Seasonal smooches on special days... Hehee. I mean, every day we're together is amazing, pretty much... But boy, you're really good at making designated dates something special. Hell, that's why I fell for your tall goofy butt in the first place. That first date back in January was the stuff of dreams. And then that whole date week in April and May, and now..._

Reaching outward, plucking a trio of fries from the pile and delivering them to her mouth, she exhaled happily from her nose as she resumed chewing.

_...Well, dinner. After a show. A showing of the gadget lab's custom-built operating system launched into Beta... And to think I got to test it on my laptop beforehand. Relationship perks!_

Eyes lowering to their shared grasp, her cheekbones warmed as his thumb drifted back and forth along her knuckle in a comforting caress.

_...Mmm, amongst other things. Cuddles and snoozes beyond compare. I can't even begin to describe how nice it is to wake up to morning kisses too. I'll never tire of that kind of alarm clock, whoof._

Feeling a slight shift of his body, only to smile more as his chin settled to rest atop her head of hair, her eyes closed from his calm protective presence.

_I'm sure its just the same for you too, mister furnace. Hot, messy-haired sexiness. Having a grown woman pounce on you must be pretty exciting._

Imagining a heart-quickening whirl of romantic imagery, her slender digits pushed between his, curling tightly around the webs of skin between his fingers.

_Damn. Speaking of that, what are we doing after this place anyway? I doubt you have homework with the demonstrations going on, so_... " _Yoouuu_ , should come to my apartment after this."

"I should?"

"Yep."

"Alright."

Humming with mirth, partly from the vibration of his throat, her head rose slightly higher into his chin.

"If you have nothing else going on, that is."

"I don't."

"Yay! Then its settled."

Hearing a chuckle wander from above as his head turned forward again, Maho then reaffirmed her grip on the hamburger resting on the tray.

_Sweet. Looks like another night of kisses and cuddles is incoming... Could watch a movie too. Then we can fall asleep in each other's arms... And wake up into Wednesday together. Hell yes._

Unable to resist a giggle, she nudged against Okabe once more, nursing the bloom of excitement brewing in her chest.

_Its so weird to think I used to dream about stuff like this... And now its a daily reality, and I can't get enough of it. Can't get enough of you either, Rintarou. You've really done a number to me... And I love that you have. Chance meetings changing our lives... This is the kind of stuff to live for. A million and one adventures, side by side... Eye to eye, right?_

Peeking back up to him, eventually recapturing his wandering attention, their gaze remained together, with little heed paid to the food in their hands for another moment.

_Hehee, yep! I'm small, you're tall... And these silly little differences don't even matter anyway, just as long as we see eye to eye. Just like you said in January... You big, handsome, romantic goof. Making me fall in love with your clever words and sweet gestures... Damn._

"I love you."

Glimpsing a familiar dilation in his irides, she then reveled in the identical phrase spoken in return.

"I love you."

Tingling from his voice, her legs uncrossed beneath the table, flip-flops hanging from her freely-swinging feet. Shoving the hamburger in her grasp into her face, her lungs then deflated through her nose as she filled her mouth with a large bite, hiding a silly grin on her lips.

_Yep. That's still the best I thing I've ever heard...!_


	23. 33333 (EP1)

**/BEGIN Epilogue_01  
** **/BEGIN Lemon_and_language_warning**

* * *

**Friday, May 19th, 2017; International Brain Science Institute, Wakoshi City, Saitama Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 1:47p.m.**

Depositing a wireless office phone onto its desktop receiver, Kurisu looked up towards a steadily pacing Maho, circling around her nearby desk in the institute's office with shoulder length hair drifting along behind her impatient revolutions.

"Professor says there's still no ETA on the internet outage."

Shaking her head, Maho exhaled with impatience-riddled finality, beginning towards the blank doors of a nearby closet.

"Alright, I'm leaving."

"What, now? We don't even have any of today's testing data uploaded."

"Hence why I'm leaving."

Eying her shorter research compatriot with a crooked brow, only to smile as she slipped off her lab coat, depositing it in its usual place in the office closet, Kurisu watched as Maho gathered her laptop bag up onto her shoulder, and plucked a light coat from her desk's rolling chair.

"It'll probably come back on moments after you leave."

"Probably. Won't stop me anyway."

Exhaling with amusement from Maho's fed-up speech, Makise propped her arm onto her hip.

"You have a nice early weekend then."

"Thanks. You should too, woman."

"I might entertain it."

Waving back towards her auburn-haired coworker, Maho then wandered towards the office's entrance, slipping through and vanishing seconds later.

_Been cloudy all day, and work's been at a standstill for three hours... I'm done, and going home._

Storming through the brain institute's halls, and hustling down a curved stairwell, her arm extended outward in a wave, watching as the twin doors of the main entrance slid open automatically.

_Fifteen minutes on the Tobu-Tojo Line, one brief walk later, and... Guhh, dammit. He's not going to be home until five anyway._

Greeted with a face full of wind in a wandering breeze, she squinted at the coat hanging on her arm as she walked along the concrete path leading from the institute, only for the swirl of cool air to fade into nothingness instead.

_Looks like I'm just going to have alone time to unwind... That's fine. Can catch up on some stuff, or just lounge... Hmm... Both? Sure._

Turning alongside a sparsely driven road, passing a bus stop a short distance from the local train station, Maho eyed the persistently grey sky above as it teasingly flicked her hair.

_I could see an outage from a thunderstorm... But there hasn't even been a single drop of rain. What the hell is going on?_

Brow furrowing, she pressed onward with a shake of her head.

_Whatever._

* * *

**Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 2:39p.m.**

Turning on the overhead fan of an oven range, drawing a collection of fried food fragrances and the heat of an oil-soaked saucepan upward, Maho swirled a cast iron platter in a circular motion, supervising the slow browning of a tuna-covered Hirayachi pancake. Turning off the burner beneath with an twist of a dial, she then set the pan aside, sprinkling a handful of previously diced green onion onto the solidified batter, and then shaking a spattering of Worcestershire sauce onto it.

_Mkay. You stay put and cool... And I'm going to get out of these work clothes._

Ambling around the appliances and walls of her apartment's kitchenette, palm dragging along the corners of cool drywall, her attention wandered aside to the nearby door of an upper-story patio, glancing out at the plain grey overcast beyond the city skyline.

_If you're going to rain, then do it, sky._

Wandering further, passing through the doorway into a dimly lit bedroom, she began tugging her dress shirt up and off herself, casting the linen towards a nearby laundry basket with an outward sweep of her bare arm as she approached a dresser, pulling open a drawer and plucking a pair of pajama shorts from within. Then, with a quirking brow and a smile, she shoved the drawer closed, rotated aside, and headed directly for the sliding doors of a closet, tugging the passage open upon approach. Dragging her fingers through the variety of hung shirts and pants residing within, she then parted several with both hands.

_Let's see... How about this one?_

Pulling the soft fabric of a graphic T-shirt from a hangar, clearly sized for someone bigger than herself, Maho pulled the textile over her head and shoulders in a momentary fumble, scooping shoulder-length hair out of it with both hands and allowing it fall freely behind her neck. Preening the much larger shirt beneath her bosom, she then began smiling as it covered her waist with its own length.

_Hmm._

Unzipping her denim work shorts and kicking the loosely-falling clothing away, she then alternated between standing on one foot, pulling on the much comfier pair of pajama shorts in a swift replacement.

_Much better._

Wandering back out of the bedroom, padding across the false wood flooring of a small living room, she rounded the corner of a rectangular pillar, only to pause beside a wood dining table, tapping on the screen of her smartphone and finding no new messages greeting her eyes.

_'Kay. Nothing new from nobody. Food time...!_

Drifting into the kitchen, plucking a worn glass plate from the bottom shelf of a cabinet with a momentary clatter, she then lifted the saucepan from the range, tilting it and allowing the savory pancake to slip free and flop onto the plate. Inhaling the invitingly appetizing scent arising among the meal's wisps of steam, she swiftly headed back to the table, fumbling for utensils from a drawer in passing. With a noisy dragging of a chair's feet, she sidled into the seat, dragging her smartphone closer, only to reach across the table and bring over a fully-charged tablet instead. Tapping on a numerical combination to unlock it, she then swiped the previously acquired knife through the Hirayachi pancake, dividing it into several wedge partitions. Spearing one with her fork, and lifting it aloft, she tore a significant bite out of it, slowly smiling from the splash of home-cooked flavor.

_Yum!_

Fingers tapping and drifting along a page of recent news articles on the larger device, she then sat back in the seat, exhaling with relaxation.

_And now, we lounge._

* * *

_Hmmmm..._

Reaching the tail end of an extensive paragraph, consuming the entirety of the tablet's screen space, Maho's attention and vision wandered aside from the vibration of her smartphone on the dining table.

_Finally found the time to text back, woman?_

'No change with the situation. About to head home myself. x_x'

Humming with humored nasal breath, her index finger lazily drug along the virtual keyboard on the device in reply.

_'Told you so.'_

'Yeah, yeah. Just wanted to stick it out but we're closing in an hour anyway.'

_'Your persistence is admirable.'_

'And your impatience is adorable, senpai. ^_^'

_'Meh. I could tell from the start that today was going to be a wash.'_

'You just wanted to start your weekend early.'

_'That too, and so far its working out nicely.'_

'Sleeping?'

_'Nope.'_

'I'm surprised. :3'

_'Snacking and swiping around the internet.'_

'Is Rintarou there?'

_'Not for two hours.'_

'Lonely senpai is lonely.'

_'Not quite.'_

Vision rising to the nearby door of the apartment, however, an exhale seeped from her lungs in contradiction.

_...Well, who am I kidding, actually. I'd be so happy if he just walked in right now. Kinda wish he could've come home early. Spend a Friday afternoon together... Should coordinate getting a day off here at some point. Go on a day-long date-thing. That'd be nice... Enjoy a slightly longer weekend... Enjoying each other..._

Vision lowering to the dim home screen on her phone, with an image of a handsomely dressed and confidently smiling Okabe depicted among the icons lining the sides, her eyes slowly widened with interest from the sight.

_Mmmhm. Talking about you, handsome._

Index finger prodding the screen, brightening the interface, she then began tapping and swiping through an image gallery, crossed legs tightening and eyebrow slowly perking with arousal.

_Look at you. Being all tall, dark-haired and delicious..._

Changing to a messaging application, her fingers gently tapped on a new message, lips held a breath apart.

_Hurry up and come home._

* * *

Attention flitting upward as the apartment door's deadbolt twisted aside from a key, with the knob beneath following suit, the passage swung open, and the soaring height of an adult old Rintarou Okabe appeared, causing an invisible fluctuation of heartbeat and temperature throughout Maho's body as she eyed him with steadily increasing interest.

"Hey, _you_."

"Hey, boo."

Evaluating the slightly disheveled appearance of her partner as he took off and hung up a suit coat, Maho's legs silently uncrossed beneath the table, widening a still-growing smile on her face from his two spoken words.

_I've kinda been waiting for you._

"Home early?"

"Yeah. As of three hours ago."

"I can tell by you wearing my shirt... Something happen at the institute?"

"Internet outage from hell. I don't know if its the cloudy weather or what, but we had to suspend all testing cause we couldn't upload a damn thing."

"Don't you all just make hard copies of the memory transfers?"

"Yes, but we use a huge cloud for virtual storage space too. Triple the capacity of in-house physical storage. We lost access to that, and the whole works ground to a halt."

"Sounds marvelous."

"Absolutely was not. I got tired of waiting for the network to come back online, so I left. Its Friday anyway... Wasn't about to waste any more hours stomping around impatiently."

"That summarizes a lot of my day."

"Yeah? How was your day?"

"They rolled out a big update across the building's servers, and I ended up supervising its implementation on every floor."

"Oof. How many stories is that place?"

"Too many."

"...Don't they have IT people there for stuff like that?"

"They do, but who do you think they answer to?"

Imagining Okabe storming around an office tower, pointing and flailing arms on various floors, Maho discreetly smiled as he set aside his laptop bag onto the table.

"...Humm. Sounds like we've both had a grand old time today."

"So to speak. Babysitting somewhere around five hundred machines later... And my own cranial motherboard is fried."

"Well hey, you're home now, and we've got the whole weekend ahead."

"Yes, indeed."

Patiently observing his motions as he began towards the apartment's bedroom, her eyebrow rose as his hands lifted up to his neck, loosening his tie and fumbling with the top buttons of his collared shirt. Slipping in through the doorway, bouncing his outward elbow off of the frame, he faded into the dim lighting of the bedroom in a heading towards the bathroom within. Seconds later, the bright light of LED bulbs shone out from another doorway beyond, and Maho rose to her bare feet, stealthily padding across the living room floor in pursuit.

_You're not getting away that easily... Boo._

Tiptoeing across plush carpeting, her hand brushed a tuft of hair back as she silently peeked around the doorway of the bathroom, watching as he twisted both handles of the sink's faucet, turning off a small stream of warm water. Reaching aside for a hand towel and drying his hands in succession, Okabe deposited the linen back onto a metal hanger rod, and in a sweep of inward movement, Maho drew up beside his arm, brushing bodily along him and appearing between him and the sink. Eyes meeting amidst the encounter, with neither surprised in the slightest, Okabe's hands lowered to the edge of the sink around her shoulders, and Maho reached up to his partially unbuttoned collar with mischievous intent clearly on display.

"You walked away too soon."

"My apologies."

Continuing down along his chest, prying apart the small circular fasteners with ease, she then tucked her hands beneath the linen barrier, slender digits exploring the features of his abdomen as her nose buried into the center of his ribs in a nuzzle and inhale.

_Ungh. Even after a lame workday you smell amazing..._

Pressing her lips into his chest in a peck, she then released the remainder of breath from her lungs as his arms curled around her sides in a loose-sleeved embrace. Peeking up to him in a temporary entrancement from their shared embrace, her right arm slid up along his body, fingertips drifting over his collarbone and up beneath his chin. Watching with blooming arousal as he observed her dextral motions, with an eyebrow finally perking high above, she burst into a giggle from his interested expression, and her hands lowered to his abdomen, cautiously pushing him back towards the doorway.

"...Ah, right then. Don't crash us."

"I won't. Just heading to bed."

Eyes wandering in a peek aside, Okabe found the backside of his legs encountering a thick mattress, and in an expected loss of balance, dropped flat onto his bottom, watching as his shirt was promptly pulled free from his arms.

"I'm, _um_ , I haven't even showered, Maho."

Met with fiery green eyes in response, he then exhaled as she clambered up onto her knees, straddling his lap.

"Mmmmight want to wait on that."

Dropping flat onto the sheets below from a playful shove of her palms against his shoulders, his face finally cracked into a smile as she crawled over him, ending up face to face, with a shroud of her shorter mane of hair settling around their intimate facial space.

"Yeah?"

"Yeahhh..."

Grinning for a split second from her breathy drawl, his eyes fluttered shut as she descended into an eager kiss, only to pull away with an exchange of light laughs, and a prompt resumption of making out, kicking several years of intimate familiarity into gear with lips and tongues playfully fighting for supremacy. With bodies and limbs shifting in reactionary realignments, fingers began exploring further beneath their remaining layers of clothing, and Okabe's heart beat steadily with emerging passion as she fumbled with the front of his dress pants. Prying beneath her loose T-shirt in response, his digits caressed the smooth, slender skin of her stomach in an upward drift, cupping her breast in its entirety and squeezing her nipple between his knuckles, eliciting an audible inhale from the elfin nose pressed against his own.

_Ahaha, that always gets you, and so does this..._

Navigating beneath the hem of yet-unseen undergarments with his opposite hand, his middle fingers began exploratory motions between her hips, and eyebrows shot upward on both individuals, with Maho finally settling into a nearly-limp perch, lips at first remaining still on his own, only to lift away, allowing their vision to reopen to their physical proximity. Silently fascinated by the evolving expressions on Maho's face as she absorbed both sources of erogenous pleasure, Okabe then watched as she seemed to regain cognitive functionality, lips prying open at an attempt at speech, only to exhale. Then, in a surprise move, she reached down and clamped her fingers around the side of his stomach, biting her lip among a feisty crooked smile, and laughing as he twisted aside, grunting in an attempt at resistance.

"You're still a little ticklish there."

"Only a little...!"

"Annddd a little is _eeennnoooppe!_ "

Rocketing upright as his left hand slithered up beneath her shirt to her armpit, she rolled aside, beginning a temporary wrestle further onto the sheets, only for the event to become a hurried, cooperative removal of remaining clothing instead. Then, settling against the unending warmth of his bodily features, with her own conforming to the malleable undulations, Maho then found herself rising upward as he sat up, propping his upper body in a diagonal plane with his arms, and she eyed her partner beneath with an extreme surge of desire, allowing them both a shared moment of taking in the other's unguarded, bare appearances.

_You, meanwhile... You should just... Well, actually, I could just, ohhohoo, shiiit. Do that. Yes._

Gripping his shoulder and a free hand, seating herself onto his groin with cautious guidance, her eyes rolled up and aside amidst a tell-tale release of breath, and their knuckles squeezed each other firmly as they began into greatly awaited intimate motions. Eyes meeting, with brows perking in alternating exchanges of goofy expressions, she began firmer, stronger strokes, finally working her way upright and gyrating back and forth with determination, arm held taught on his shoulder.

_Oh my good freaking gracious... And other goofy verbage-isms I've heard you say, heeheee... This, this right now is, ah, hah, nice. Hard to beat starting things off with..._

"Fuck."

Blinking calmly from the English curse slipping free from her lips, Okabe reached forward, brushing aside and scooping a thick gathering of her dark hair in his palm, studying and absorbing the continuous sliding of her legs and hips as he distractedly twisted her locks among his free fingers. Watching then as she leaned forward again, with both palms pressing onto his collarbone, keeping herself propped aloft, he smiled from the thoroughly distracted wandering of her irides, maintaining an ongoing multi-point evaluation of their intercourse.

_She always says my expressions are amusing... But hers are infinitely entertaining. Especially when she's busying herself with... Me._

Allowing another grin to appear on his lips, as frustrations of the prior workday faded away in their entirety, he watched with great interest as her eyelids squished shut in an increasingly tightening furrow, hips jerking forth in slower, thorough thrusts.

_Looks like she's... Yep!_

Chuckling quietly as her vision blasted back open, Maho put on the brakes from the full-bodied ripple of an orgasmic cascade, nostrils flaring with breath, and eyelashes flapping in a temporary stupor.

"Nice."

Lips parting, taking in a bigger lungful of breath, her attention descended onto Okabe after his single-word utterance, and she flopped forward bodily, coming to rest against his frame, which then collapsed flat onto the bedding beneath in a relaxation of limbs.

"Whoof."

"Felt good?"

Chest jostling from nearly unheard laughter, Maho tucked her nose into the crook of his neck.

"Hell yes."

"More?"

"Please."

Pushing up onto her elbows, still fully enveloping his member, her legs spread outward in relaxation as he took over the work, gripping her haunches with both hands. Watching his downward focus, waiting as his vision eventually rose to meet her own, she gazed longingly at her companion of five years.

"Love you."

Exhaling from the ensuing work, and her near-whisper, a further breath of familiar elation seeped from his lungs.

"And I love you."

Responding with a soft, tender collision of lips, with slower, deeper kisses taking place amidst his lower movements, she kept still, slackening with near-disbelief from the sensual combination.

_Clearly. Oh, my god. This... This is how to have a good neurological meltdown. Kissing while... Ooookay, rolling over? Yep._

Lips parting and bodies shifting in a physical twist, with Okabe realigning both of them and resuming work, Maho reached forward towards his face, arm drifting along the surface of the bed's comforter. Rising up to his forehead, and then drifting aside, her finger pushed into his hair above his ear, discovering hints of sweat in among his scalp.

_...And you wanted to shower. Goofy, sexy... Working man. Working me, heh. Right now we're just... Rocking each other's world._

Rolling further over after several thrusts, finding herself laying on her backside, Maho exhaled mightily, and her head flopped aside on her elbow-length spread of hair, arm falling freely to the mattress shortly afterward.

_God you're hot... And good. Sure hit the jackpot with your sexy ass, huh?_

Allowing a goofy smile to spread across her lips, mind wading through a dreamy hormone-addled wonderland, she groaned with a hum of relaxation.

_Heh. Hehee... Damn. For how lame today was... The remainder of it is improving exponentially right now._

* * *

Laying in previously crumpled sheets, tucked together in a bare-bodied spooning cuddle, hints of shampoo greeted the noses of both computer scientists, shortly out of a shared shower. With endless warmth maintained beneath the comforter and between their folds of skin, deterring the cool air of a steady rainfall just beyond an open window, Okabe kept his chin atop Maho's head, resting upon her expanse of faintly damp hair. Just ahead, her hand peeked out beneath the comforter, keeping a secure hold on her smartphone, with Tucker Tux nestled against her neck. At first browsing through an online menu of a local delivery eatery, her eyes drifted aside from the screen, drawn to the glints of an emerald gemstone, set into a titanium band around her fourth finger.

_Its true what they say... You never get tired of looking at it._

"...Figure out what you want?"

"Mm, not yet."

"Hmm. Take your time."

"You're not hungry?"

"I'll manage for now."

"I probably won't."

"Well..."

Smiling from his expected drawl, Maho shut off the device's screen, dropping it face down onto the bedding. Spreading her digits as his arm shuffled along her side, brushing up along her shoulder, their hands clasped together, and her vision returned to the ring, sparkling among their pale knuckles.

"Give me fifteen minutes. Then I might know."

"Can do."

Blushing lightly from his conclusive response, and a reaffirmation of their cuddle in a momentary tightening, her silent mirth remained as her mind continued into a wayward wander of recent memory.

_Fifteen minutes... Took less than that for this big nerd of mine to make his finest, smoothest move yet._

* * *

**Saturday, August 27th, 2016; Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan; 1:12p.m.**

Seated on opposite sides of an elegantly patterned steel table, beneath the shade of a broad restaurant umbrella warding off the strength of an early afternoon sun, both Maho and Okabe distractedly consumed a multi-entree lunch from several platters occupying the table's space. With a tablet seated just beside her plate, a skirt-and-shirt dressed Maho quietly browsed for a previously bookmarked page on the device, temporarily glancing across to the pensive expression on Okabe's face as he poked at his meal with a pair of chopsticks.

"Here it is..."

"Hm?"

"Happened upon this article earlier... They're developing an algorithm out in London that's able to mimic human handwriting."

"Really?"

Nodding from his interested response, she lifted and handed over the tablet in a forward lean, watching as Okabe's longer arm plucked the large device from her grasp and turned it around, vision lowering to the screen in a brief period of reading.

"...That's a development."

"One of a few in the field lately."

Watching his lips to press together in visible contemplation, she then looked down to the remains of her meal, sliding the tangs of her fork along the plate in a lazy scooping effort.

"This reminds me, actually... There's something I want to show you."

"Yeah?"

"Let me find it."

Gathering the entrails of pasta and sauce near the rim of the platter, briefly listening to the conversational ambience surrounding them, she brought the scoop of food to her mouth, only to look up as the device returned across the table, with both of his hands keeping it steady.

"Here."

Chin rising in a swallow as her arm extended, his hand atop the dark screen then withdrew as she grasped the device, revealing the presence of a small felt box on top. After a moment of blinking, discerning the vaguely recognizable object resting near her thumb, her eyes suddenly widened in a surge of womanly instinct, fork dropping free from her fingers and onto the plate below in an obvious clatter.

_What._

Looking up as Okabe stood from his seat, unable to hide a growing smile on his face, a breath sucked into her lungs as he calmly stepped around the table, quietly kneeling beside her and prompting her to scoot the seat back in a turn. Watching as he plucked the little box from its place atop the tablet, her hand covered her mouth as he presented it to her in his palm.

_Holy, shit. Is this is happening?_

Watching in an unfettered entrancement as his fingers pried the container open with ease, revealing a sparkling emerald gemstone seated in a dark metal ring, a sharp breath pulled into her lungs behind her fingers.

_This is happening._

Listening distractedly as several other guests around them quietly gasped and whispered from the sudden spectacle, Maho covered her eyes, only to peek between her fingers at the combination of her boyfriend and an engagement ring in front of herself, causing her heart to jackhammer in emotional disbelief.

"A-Are you telling me, or showing me?"

"Asking you, actually."

Brow peaking, and eyes growing expectedly misty, a choked laugh issued from her chest as he produced his ever-present handkerchief, offering it to her and waiting patiently as she wiped it across both eyes in a swipe, only to squeeze the cloth between her hands.

"Hiyajo Maho... Will you be my mine, from this day onward?"

Eyelids gently settling closed, reveling in the new and permanent echo of his speech, her chest began shaking with giddy laughter, mind whirling with disbelief as she nodded her head with rapidity.

"Yes!"

Gazing at his fingers as they carefully plucked the ring from its seating, her hand wandered nearer, and with a cautious unfurling of digits, hand tremoring with emotion-addled trepidation, she waited with patient fascination as he delicately slipped the band onto her slender fourth finger, seating it just beyond her second knuckle with a gentle push.

_Ohhh... Damn that thing is beautiful._

Marveling the presence of a simple sparkling object residing on her digit, their hands curled together among a rise of surrounding applause, and her own sparkling eyes rose to his, taking in the unfettered satisfaction on the facial features of her now-fiance.

"I love you."

Breaking into a giddy grin, with a mirthy giggle of disbelief issuing from her aching chest, her head tilted slightly, cheeks flushed.

"I love yoouuu."

Watching as he rose to his feet, soaring above her once more, a sweet hum of enamorment buzzed from her throat as she watched him meander back to his seat. After plopping back into his own chair with an exhale, their eyes met across the table, and he grinned as her vision repeatedly alternated between him, and the ring on her hand.

_Oh, you big goofy love of mine, of course you picked a green gemstone in the end. Is this gunmetal? Titanium? I don't even know, but this... Its so lovely and... He got this, and... I'm engaged, and..._

Glancing back up at him with puppy eyes, a hefty breath of deflation finally issued from her lungs.

"Can I tell people about it?"

"Absolutely."

"Yay!"

Fumbling for the smartphone residing in her handbag, she shakily navigated the screen, riddled with excitement as she opened a messaging application.

_Hoookay, I need to tell mom and dad, and Makise. Mayuri might already know but... Ahhh my god._

Looking across once more, gazing irresistibly at the hazel eyes and confident smile of her partner, she tingled with delight from the ongoing life development.

_I'm think I'm going to get married!_

* * *

**Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 6:19p.m.**

Returning to the present in a blink, with a ongoing patter of rainfall fading back into her ears, a held breath parted Maho's lips, escaping into the bedroom's ozone-scented air.

"Pasta."

"Hm?"

Smiling from Okabe's grunt, her appetite's imagination continued to wander.

"Feeling like pasta. With red and alfredo sauce, and garlic bread, and... Mmmmm, what else...?"

"I could go for that."

"Yeah?"

"See what they have."

"Mkay."

Plucking her phone from its place on the mattress, resuming the prior ordering on a delivery menu, her thumb tapped repeatedly on several options for Italian food, piling up onto a combined order.

"How's that?"

"One more serving. To ensure leftovers."

"Ooh, yes. Done."

"Looks good."

"Order?"

"Go for it."

Tapping on several prompts of address confirmation and electronic payment, she then dropped the device aside, hands retracting to Okabe's own arms, keeping her close.

_Anyway... Now that dinner is finally ordered... Oh yeah. I'll never forget how the twin redheads reacted when they found out too. That was hilarious._

* * *

**Sunday, August 28th, 2016; Ikebukero, Tokyo, Japan; 10:37a.m.**

"Senpai?"

"Mm?"

"I can tell that's a Skype call... Who are you contacting?"

Hiding her own amusement from the query, Maho watched an ongoing attempt to contact her coworker and best friend on a wide display, out of sight of the instance of Amadeus running on half of the screen.

"You'll find out." _If they pick up... Come on, woman. There's no way you're busy on a Su-_

Pausing her thought from an audible fumble of hands, and watching a video feed appear, Maho's head tilted with interest from the blurry movements.

"Morning, Maho."

Blinking from the greeting, and then watching as Amadeus-Makise looked towards the left-hand edge of her own screen, Maho sat back contently.

"Heya."

"Wait, is that who I think it is?"

"Yes."

Watching then as the on-screen video whirled and stopped, revealing the presence of a living and breathing Kurisu peering closer towards her phone, a dubious smile curled onto both faces of her auburn-haired friend, real and virtual.

"Are you running Amadeus?"

"You called my real self?"

"Yes, and yes."

"I thought so!"

"Wow, okay. Duality achieved in the same sphere of communication."

"So Senpai, given that you've now reached out to both forms of us..."

"...What's the reasoning?"

"Well, virtual me, one can surmise that she has something she wants both of us to know."

"Why yes, real me, which would imply it has a high level of emotional importance."

"Agreed."

Glancing back and forth between the existential mayhem with continued amusement, Maho leaned back in her chair, hands in her lap, as both forms of her friend conversed indirectly, unable to see the other.

_This is weird, and very interesting._

"Anyway, senpai? You have both of us gathered here for a reason, so out with it."

"Yes, what she said."

Eyes sinking among a sigh, laden with emotional heft, she looked down to her lap.

"Okay."

Lifting her hand from her lap, and then twisting it, her expression slowly grew back into a smile as a nearly identical pause of evaluation began among her audience. Then, isolating and displaying her fourth finger clearly, she drove the point home.

"I'm engaged."

Watching with fascination as the mouths of both instances of her best friend widened, with matching inhales coming over the computer's speakers, Maho blinked at the scene, only to smash her finger onto the print-screen key of her keyboard, preserving the moment digitally.

_Okay, so that is the best thing I have seen in a long time, and now it will last forever... Heh, hehee! Their faces!_

"MAHO!"

"You're engaged?!"

"Bring your hand closer to the camera!"

Leaning forward, proudly displaying the glinting object on her right hand, her cheeks reddened with amusement as her best friend pored over the sight through their respective screens.

"Its an emerald, right?"

"Of course!"

"Is that a platinum band? Or titanium?"

"Ohhhh that man has taste!"

"This is so exciting, senpai! You're engaged!"

Laughing from the obvious reminder, Maho began into a mirthy laugh.

"I KNOW!"

"Are you going to marry him?"

Peeking back towards the empty doorway of the computer room, half expecting to find Okabe peeking around the frame, she then whirled back to the screen.

"Hell yes I am!"

"YAY!"

"Oooh, senpai's gonna have a hubby!"

"Maho!"

"Senpai! Senpai!"

Peeking up towards the webcam, waiting as identical eager young women grinned at her, Maho exhaled from the following silence.

"What?"

"Are you going to take his last name?"

"Okabe? I mean... Maybe. I do like my own, but... Actually, it wouldn't be too bad at all if hyphenated as a pair."

"Since you two are a pair to behold anyway... Nerds."

Grinning from the harmless remark, Maho's shoulders perked into a shrug.

"Thank you. Um, I might just have both. I'll need to see what he would prefer too."

"Ooh, yes, good idea."

"I'm sure he'll be fine with whatever his little wife-to-be prefers."

Rolling her eyes, with a blushing grin admitting her agreement, Maho twisted back and forth in her chair.

 _Shush, you..._ "Maybe."

* * *

**May 19th, 2017, Ikebukero, Toshima Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 7:02p.m.**

Steadily devouring the first of three different servings of pasta, coated in respective flavors of sauce and interspersed with white chicken and sausage, both Maho and Okabe sat on opposite sides of the small wooden dining table in their apartment. With platters and packages of entrees and sides illuminated by the same dancing flames of candlelight that illuminated their faces and lightly-dressed features, a sense of romantic mystery was maintained in the otherwise dim apartment, only illuminated by a night lights plugged into the walls, and navigation lights fighting through the rainfall of the city beyond.

Powering through a heap of Fettuccine Alfredo, distractedly watching the combustion of a fuel-soaked wick within a glass bowl, Maho's thoughts began playing out in a sequential review of the day as she focused on the bright colors of the captive flame.

_Hmm. Work was a waste from the start. Left and got home early, pissed a few hours away... Boo came home, we got laid, bought dinner, and now... Mister magician here turns a rainy night of order-in Italian into a pajama-clothed date night, and I love it._

Vision wandering upward, alighting upon the teasingly illuminated facial features of Okabe as he brought a slice of garlic bread to his mouth, she observed his eating motions with simple endearment.

_Even when days don't work out as initially intended... This one seems to find another way. Half of the time it turns out better anyway... No wonder why I've always kept saying yes._

Eyes slowly meeting, sharing simple smiles as their mouths busily chewed beneath a gaze of equivalence, an identical thought seemed to bloom within their minds.

_Yes. I'm going to marry you._

_You hazel-eyed,_

_Emerald-eyed,_

_Handsomely tall,_

_Adorably small,_

_Nerd of a feather._

* * *

_**/END Epilogue_01** _


	24. 65535

**/BEGIN Epilogue_02**

* * *

**Sunday, August 27th, 2017; Okuma Beach, Kunigami Ward, Okinawa, Japan; 11:03p.m.**

Listening to the restless roars of tropical ocean waves, crashing perpetually beneath the dark blue vestiges of a nearly cloudless evening, a far-traveling pair of computer scientists both short and tall stood still, bare feet tucked into damp sand only inches apart. Gazing up in shared awe towards the mysterious broad realm above them, with differing vantages of familiarity in their minds, both Okabe and Maho remained in an intimate embrace, tucked together on a honeymoon's night as a fleeting breeze brushed along hair and light summer clothing. High above, unspoiled by the light of civilization, the beginnings of a star field continued to fade into illumination, painting a canvas of infinite darkness with twinkling specks of light across the young night sky.

Resting his chin upon Maho's curly dark hair, a breath filtered from Okabe's nose as he squeezed her a little bit tighter in his arms, shortly followed by the squeezing of her digits around his wrists, with her own slender arms and sleeves of a beach dress hanging free beneath.

"I keep thinking..."

"Me too."

Eyes temporarily closing with mild amusement, his vision then reopened to the ocean's waters just beyond, teasingly approaching and receding from their position.

"Well, more of a repeating realization... Of how you've been right all along."

"Mm? About what?"

"The stars. They really are much more beautiful out here."

Vision rising in another drift across the distant stars, glinting among the mysterious vacuum of space, Maho's lips slowly curled into a smile, nudging up into his chin resting atop her head.

"I told you time and again, silly. Just had to drag you out of the city first."

"Right, yes. I never quite knew until the first time you brought me here."

"When you met my parents, right?"

"Yes."

"That was amazing, and way more fun than I planned on... Beautiful weather too. Just like tonight."

"Agreed."

Allowing a pause for thought, with playful washes of coastal water lapping at their feet, Maho's head tilted with a smile, from a fleeting gallery of wonderful memories playing across her mind.

"I guess it kinda turned out that... There were several reasons why I wanted you to come out here."

"Other than the night sky?"

"That was the main one."

"I did tell you a time or two that you ought to be nearer to your roots."

"You did, and I'm glad I listened."

Hearing a hum and chuckle emit from his throat, an unrestrained giggle wandered free from her parted lips, beginning a gentle mingle of mirth between the married couple.

"Guess we were both right in the end."

Imagining several meanings from his speech, all of which seemed to be adequate in their own ways, Maho simply smiled once more, a satisfied breath of salty sea air wandering from her lungs.

"I couldn't agree more."

* * *

**/END Epilogue_02**   
**/END 'Logic;Sequence'**

_**Complete.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N; Amazingly enough, that's that and this is the end! Hope you all enjoyed this alt-pairing exploration that blossomed into this magnificent monster! Whether or not there is more to follow or explore with this ship has yet to be seen, but I've absolutely enjoyed and adored everyone's feedback and reviews in the meantime of many days and nights of writing.
> 
> Thanks for reading! El, Psy, Kongroo...
> 
> ~ C. Betchimov


End file.
